Chapter 1: Introduction

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on American government and electoral processes.

Democratic Competency

The capacity of citizens to be informed about and actively participate in the democratic process.

Accountability through Elections

The principle that elected officials should be responsive to the voters and take responsibility for their actions.

Aggregation Rule

The method by which individual preferences are combined to produce a collective decision in elections.

Ecological Fallacy

The error of assuming that relationships observed for groups necessarily hold for individuals.

Campaign Finance

The fundraising process and regulation of money used in election campaigns, which can influence political inequality.

Pocketbook Voting

Voting based on personal economic circumstances rather than party affiliation or candidate policies.

Wisdom of the Crowds

The concept that large groups of people can collectively make accurate judgments or predictions, even if individual members are misinformed.

Sociotropic Voting

Voting behavior that is influenced by the perceived economic well-being of society as a whole, rather than individual circumstances.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party over another.