Interest groups are groups formed by citizens in order to influence public opinion and policy. They are common in most democratic systems, including that of the United States. These groups often employ methods such as lobbying, media campaigns, polls and propaganda in order to achieve their goals.
An example of such a group is the Christian Coalition, which promotes traditional, conservative Christian values. Another example is the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which fights for equal rights for African Americans. These groups are similar in that they both want to influence public policy, but they are different in their goals, their methods and their level of influence.