What term describes an organization that seeks to influence government decision making?

• A. Interest Groups
• B. Lobbying
• C. Lobbyist
• D. Selective Incentives

Answer: (A)

Organizations that seek to influence government decision making are called interest groups. They form around shared policy concerns and work to shape laws and regulations by presenting information to policymakers, mobilizing public opinion, and running campaigns aimed at specific outcomes. The other terms describe aspects of the process or roles within it: lobbying is the act of trying to influence policymakers; a lobbyist is the person who does the lobbying; selective incentives are benefits used to recruit or retain members rather than a description of the organization itself. So the organized group with the goal of influencing policy is an interest group.