How the Alt‐Right Label Informs Political Assessments

In: Social science quarterly, Band 101, Heft 5, S. 1699-1711

Abstract

ObjectiveTo determine how the alt‐right label informs how voters assess individuals and political candidates.MethodsWe use a survey experiment with a hypothetical candidate. Along with a control, we vary the ideological label the hypothetical candidate uses, including conservative and alt‐right.ResultsThe alt‐right label leads people to view candidates as holding more right‐leaning ideological and issue positions relative to no label and often—specifically on issues relating to race, gender, and norms—relative to a more explicit conservative label.ConclusionThese results shed light on how citizens come to understand and use new ideological labels and suggest that the alt‐right label conveys context‐specific information that differs from that connected to the conservative label.