Political Behavior

Political behaviour studies the political attitudes, opinions, and actions of citizens — voting, participation, public opinion, and ideology.

Scope

It covers voting behaviour, public opinion, political participation, ideology and belief systems, and the psychology and sociology of mass politics.

Core questions

• What determines how people vote?
• How are political attitudes formed?
• Why do people participate (or not) in politics?
• How ideological is the mass public?

Key concepts

• Party identification
• Vote choice
• Public opinion
• Political participation
• Ideology
• Rational choice voting

Key theories

The social-psychological model of voting

The American Voter explained vote choice through party identification and the 'funnel of causality'.

The rational voter

Downs modelled voting and party competition as instrumental, rational behaviour.

Mass belief systems

Converse argued most citizens lack constrained, ideological belief systems.

History

Election studies developed the social-psychological 'Michigan model' (The American Voter) and the rational-choice (Downs) tradition, with Converse's work shaping debate on mass ideology; the field is now data-rich and experimental.

Debates

Are voters rational or driven by identity?

Whether vote choice reflects instrumental calculation or social and partisan identity.

Key figures

• Angus Campbell
• Philip Converse
• Anthony Downs

Seminal works

• campbell-1960
• downs-1957
• converse-1964

Frequently asked questions

What is party identification?

A long-standing psychological attachment to a political party, central to the Michigan model of voting behaviour.