Suchergebnisse

Discussing the role of interpretation in political manipulation, it is hypothesized that the effectiveness of different interpretations depends significantly on the political beliefs & orientations of voters, as well as on the chronic cognitive accessibility of the interpretations, at least in certain information environments. Two experiments were conducted in which registered voters (total N = 232) were interviewed, asked to read alternative propositions regarding local policy issues that included written interpretations, & then asked to define & explain their positions on the issues on the basis of the interpretations. The results support the hypotheses. Implications are drawn for studying electoral decision making. 4 Tables. Adapted from the source document.

The 'positivity bias' is a term used to describe the consistent favorable evaluation of public figures found in surveys over the past forty years. Several possible artifactual explanations for this bias were explored, focusing on the survey instrument itself. Two experiments (subjects for the first experiment were 298 undergraduates administered a 35-minute questionnaire, & for the second, 429 residents of the Los Angeles metropolitan area given a 15-minute interview) varied the labeling & ordering of scale endpoints, the affective value of the initial context evaluated, & the presence or absence of a prestigious job title associated with the name of the public figure. None of the variations produced significantly different levels of positivity than the standard control condition used in each experiment. 3 Tables. Modified AA.

The possible consequences of self-interest on American PO were examined in the context of US military involvement in Vietnam, using the CPS 1968 American Nation Election Study as a data base. Civilians' (N = 3,100) personal connections to the war, in terms of their friends' & relatives' military service, did make them pay more attention to the war. Rather, the more important determinants of attitudes toward the war were symbolic attitudes toward various political symbols, eg, presidential candidates associated with the war. Finally, self-interest made very little difference in enhancing the consistency of partisan attitudes involved in the 1968 presidential decision. 4 Tables. AA.