Explaining Political Sophistication

In: Political behavior, Band 12, Heft 4, S. 331-361

Abstract

The nature of political sophistication is examined through development of a nonlinear simultaneous equation model that combines three general explanations of political behavior: exposure to political information & ability & motivation to assimilate & organize it. Model estimates are derived from a national probability sample from the 1976 American National Election Study. They suggest that interest & intelligence, representing motivation & ability, have major effects on political sophistication, but education & media exposure do not. Implications for the sophistication of mass publics & for democratic theory are discussed. 5 Tables, 1 Figure, 101 References. Adapted from the source document.