Interest Groups in Politics

Interest groups are private organizations that attempt to influence decisions made by public officials. These organizations typically represent a group of individuals with a common interest, or corporations with shared concerns. Interest groups use political communications to appeal to their membership, the general public, and political officials. The influence of interest groups in U.S. politics has grown in recent years with the advent of mass communication and the increasing cost of elections.

There are two basic types of interest groups in America: private and public. Private interest groups represent a small segment of the community and are formed in an effort to protect and improve members' material interests. Examples of private interest groups are AARP, which advocates for the interests of senior citizens, and the National ...