Voting Behaviour Flashcards
Define rational choice?
Voters influenced by short term factors like party image, leader polices and how they personally fell or are affected by these
Define socilogical theory?
Theory links voting to group membership
E.g- age, gender, social class
Define party- identification?
Theory links voting to veterans voting long term and loyal attachments to specific parties
What does Peter Pulzer say about social class as a voting behaviour factor?
“Class is the basis of British politics- all else is embellishment and detail”
What does Ivor Crewe say about social class as a voting behaviour factor?
“Skilled working class were the shock troops of Thatcherism”
What does Winston Churchill say About age as a voting behaviour factor?
“ if you are not a socialist before your thirty you have no heart -still a socialist after you’re thirty you have no head”
How did age affect voting behaviour in the 2017 election?
First time voters (18 and 19) labour ahead of conservative 47%
70 +- conservative 50% ahead labour
Age 47 was labour to conservative crossover
How did education level affect voting behaviour in the 2017 election?
Low qualifications (GCSE) conservative/ labour by 22%
High education (degree or above) labour led by 17% age points
What did Blair do to prove that the dominant ideology model is important in voting behaviour?
Before 1997 election Tony Blair flew twice to Australia to persuade Rupert Murdoch (owner of the sun newspaper) to back labour
Also made him godfather of his children
What is the reinforcement setting theory?
People access media that reinforces existing political beliefs
What is the agender setting theory?
Media leads on setting political agenda, dictates thoughts about certain issues, controls concept of certain individuals
What is the Marxist model?
Capitalist- right wing press
Media owned by rich and powerful
Toll keep themselves at top and oppress others
What is the pluralist model?
Media is biased but across different ideologies- simply reinforced existing belief
Pluralist and reinforcement model disagree with the dominant ideology model
Evidence suggesting that the media doesn’t influence electoral outcome?
Newspapers becoming unpopular and irrelevant
Broadcast media not likely to influence voting as broadcasters have legal obligation to be impartial
Social media less likely to influence older people, who are more likely to vote
How did the Labour Party use the media in the 2017 election to affect voting behaviour?
Used social media like twitter to encourage young voters
60% voted labour aged 18-24
All parties spent larger amount of money on advertising on social media
