POLS 206 2026 STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE
INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE
CONCEPTS AND PRACTICE QUESTIONS
◉ 527 groups. Answer: Tax-exempt organizations that can raise and
spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections. They can
engage in voter mobilization and issue advocacy, but they cannot
expressly advocate the election or defeat of a federal candidate.
◉ amicus curiae brief. Answer: A legal brief filed by someone or
some organization who holds an interest in a case but is not an
actual party.
◉ Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). Answer: A law that
limits hard-money contributions during each election cycle to
$2,000 from individuals and $5,000 from PACs.
◉ by-product theory. Answer: The theory that most people will not
engage in collective action with the sole aim of producing public
goods. Instead, groups build membership by offering selective
benefits available only to group members.
◉ Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Answer: A 2010
Supreme Court case holding that a provision of the McCain-Feingold
,Act prohibiting corporations and unions from broadcasting
"electioneering communications" within 60 days of a general
election is an unconstitutional limitation on the First Amendment
guarantee of free speech. It also held that corporations and labor
unions can spend unlimited amounts of money in campaigns.
◉ coalition building. Answer: A means of expanding an interest
group's influence that involves working with other groups.
◉ collective action. Answer: Action in which a group of people work
together for the provision of public goods.
◉ direct lobbying. Answer: Direct contact by lobbyists with
government officials in an effort to influence policy.
◉ exchange theory. Answer: The theory that interest groups form as
a result of a deal— an exchange— between a group entrepreneur
and an unorganized interest that may be underrepresented or not
represented at all.
◉ Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA). Answer: A 1971 act that
allowed unions and corporations to form political action committees
to raise and contribute campaign funds to candidates.
, ◉ free rider. Answer: A person who makes the strictly rational
choice to enjoy the benefits of public goods without incurring the
costs of providing them, thus presenting a dilemma to the
community as a whole.
◉ group entrepreneur. Answer: Someone who invests resources
(such as time, money, and organizational skill) to create and build an
organization that offers various types of benefits (material, solidary,
and purposive) to entice others to join the group.
◉ hard money. Answer: Campaign contributions made directly to
candidates and regulated by law.
◉ indirect lobbying. Answer: The use of intermediaries by lobbyists
to speak to government officials, with the intent to influence policy.
◉ interest group. Answer: A group organized around a set of views
or preferences and who seek to influence others in order to promote
or protect those preferences.
◉ lobbying. Answer: Activity of a group or person that attempts to
influence public policy-making on behalf of the individual or the
group.
INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE
CONCEPTS AND PRACTICE QUESTIONS
◉ 527 groups. Answer: Tax-exempt organizations that can raise and
spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections. They can
engage in voter mobilization and issue advocacy, but they cannot
expressly advocate the election or defeat of a federal candidate.
◉ amicus curiae brief. Answer: A legal brief filed by someone or
some organization who holds an interest in a case but is not an
actual party.
◉ Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). Answer: A law that
limits hard-money contributions during each election cycle to
$2,000 from individuals and $5,000 from PACs.
◉ by-product theory. Answer: The theory that most people will not
engage in collective action with the sole aim of producing public
goods. Instead, groups build membership by offering selective
benefits available only to group members.
◉ Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Answer: A 2010
Supreme Court case holding that a provision of the McCain-Feingold
,Act prohibiting corporations and unions from broadcasting
"electioneering communications" within 60 days of a general
election is an unconstitutional limitation on the First Amendment
guarantee of free speech. It also held that corporations and labor
unions can spend unlimited amounts of money in campaigns.
◉ coalition building. Answer: A means of expanding an interest
group's influence that involves working with other groups.
◉ collective action. Answer: Action in which a group of people work
together for the provision of public goods.
◉ direct lobbying. Answer: Direct contact by lobbyists with
government officials in an effort to influence policy.
◉ exchange theory. Answer: The theory that interest groups form as
a result of a deal— an exchange— between a group entrepreneur
and an unorganized interest that may be underrepresented or not
represented at all.
◉ Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA). Answer: A 1971 act that
allowed unions and corporations to form political action committees
to raise and contribute campaign funds to candidates.
, ◉ free rider. Answer: A person who makes the strictly rational
choice to enjoy the benefits of public goods without incurring the
costs of providing them, thus presenting a dilemma to the
community as a whole.
◉ group entrepreneur. Answer: Someone who invests resources
(such as time, money, and organizational skill) to create and build an
organization that offers various types of benefits (material, solidary,
and purposive) to entice others to join the group.
◉ hard money. Answer: Campaign contributions made directly to
candidates and regulated by law.
◉ indirect lobbying. Answer: The use of intermediaries by lobbyists
to speak to government officials, with the intent to influence policy.
◉ interest group. Answer: A group organized around a set of views
or preferences and who seek to influence others in order to promote
or protect those preferences.
◉ lobbying. Answer: Activity of a group or person that attempts to
influence public policy-making on behalf of the individual or the
group.
