What Goes with Red and Blue? Mapping Partisan and Ideological Associations in the Minds of Voters

Author(s): 

Stephen N. Goggin, John A. Henderson, Alexander G. Theodoridis

ISPS ID: 
ISPS19-03
Full citation: 
Goggin, S.N., Henderson, J.A. & Theodoridis, A.G. (2019). What Goes with Red and Blue? Mapping Partisan and Ideological Associations in the Minds of Voters, Political Behavior, First Online 09 January 2019, DOI: 10.1007/s11109-018-09525-6
Abstract: 
To what extent do voters grasp “what goes with what” among key political objects as they attempt to understand the choices they face at the ballot box? Is recognition of these associations limited to only the most informed citizens? We design a novel conjoint classification experiment that minimizes partisan boosting and allows for the relative comparison of attribute effect when mapping voter associative networks, the cluster of attributes linked to parties and ideological labels. We ask respondents to ‘guess’ the party or ideology of hypothetical candidates with fully randomized issue priorities and biographical details. There is remarkable agreement among both high- and low-knowledge voters in linking issues to each party and ideology, suggesting this minimalist form of associative competence is more widely held in the mass public than perhaps previously thought. We find less agreement about biographical traits, which appear to pose greater informational challenges for voters. Notably, nearly identical issue priorities and traits are associated with party and ideology, indicating these two dimensions are largely fused in the minds of today’s American voters.
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Publication date: 
2019
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