Values and Partisanship in Left-Right Orientations: Measuring Ideology

In: European journal of political research: official journal of the European Consortium for Political Research, Band 17, Heft 5, S. 599-621

Abstract

The relationship between Left-Right political orientations, issue positions, & partisanship is examined in an attempt to determine whether the partisan component of Left-Right scales hinders the determination of the issue placement on such scales. Survey data collected in 1979 from citizens of 8 Western European nations were analyzed for measurement of partisanship, Left-Right self-placement, & attitudes toward issues. Distance measurements of polarization were made, & a regression model was used to test whether partisanship & issues affect the Left-Right orientation scale. Results show that ideological polarization did reflect polarization according to issue. 6 Tables, 1 Figure, 1 Appendix, 28 References. A. Cole