Chapter 7 Multiple choice questions

. What is descriptive representation?

Politicians making promises at elections that the public expects them to fulfil.

Politicians reacting to shifts in public opinion on an issue.

Shared characteristics between politicians and the public they represent.

Citizens feeling that a particular political actor represents people like themselves.

. How would you refer to changes in policy positions in response to changes in public preferences?

Policy Congruence

Policy Responsiveness

Descriptive Representation

Legislative Behaviour

. What does the thermostatic model of representation refer to?

If parties increase the importance of a subject by talking more about it, voters also start to care more about it.

If policy-making moves in one direction, public opinion tends to move back in the opposite direction.

Parties try to mirror the policy position of the median voter.

The media has a large influence on which issues politicians talk about.

. Which of the following is NOT a feature of a majoritarian vision of democracy?

Clarity of responsibility

Large influence for the parliamentary opposition over policy outcomes.

Government can respond quickly to changes in voter preferences.

Single-party governments

. Which of these countries does NOT have a higher than average share of women in parliament (compared to other European countries)?

Sweden

Netherlands

Spain

Hungary

. Which of the following statements about gender quotas is FALSE?

Gender quotas are necessary to ensure a high share of women in parliament.

Many quotas are introduced when parties face challenges from other more progressive parties on the left.

Some parties have instituted gender quotas in order to regain control over the decentralized nomination process.

Quotas are also possible in electoral system without party lists, for example by reserving certain electoral districts for women.

. Which of the following is NOT among the main reasons for a democratic deficit in the EU?

Governments in the Council have been legislating outside of public scrutiny.

The large number of institutions involved in decision-making makes it hard to assess responsibility.

National legislatures have less influence over policy outcomes.

The European Court of Human Rights can override national laws.

. Why are niche parties less likely to adapt the policy positions to changes in public opinion?

Niche parties are more likely to be penalized electorally for adapting their policy positions.

Niche parties have fewer resources to monitor public opinion.

Niche parties often have limited policy programmes that don't allow them to adjust ideologically.

Niche parties do not make electoral pledges.

. Which of the following studies deals with policy congruence?

A study that compares the share of women elected to parliament by party family.

A study that examines the positions of parties in relation to the preferences of the median voter.

A study that looks at the policy reaction of parties to rising unemployment across electoral districts.

A study that dissects the share of speeches given in parliament on integration and immigration in recent years.

. Which of the following is NOT an aspect of promissory representation?

Politicians laying out the policies they plan to implement once elected.

Voters punishing politicians for not following through on their promises.

Voters voting in a prospective way.

Voters expecting female politicians to implement policies that are beneficial to women.

. What is the primary dimension of conflict in most parliaments?

The Left-Right dimension.

The Government-Opposition divide.

The Cultural dimension.

The conflict between party leadership and backbenchers.

Quiz Content