The moderating effect of debates on political attitudes

Brierley, Sarah ORCID: 0000-0002-0902-6763, Kramon, Eric and Ofosu, George ORCID: 0000-0003-4112-0749 (2020) The moderating effect of debates on political attitudes. American Journal of Political Science, 64 (1). 19 - 37. ISSN 0092-5853

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Abstract

In theory, candidate debates can influence voters by providing information about candidates' quality and policy positions. However, there is limited evidence about whether and why debates influence voters in new democracies. We use a field experiment on parliamentary debates during Ghana's 2016 elections to show that debates improve voters' evaluations of candidates. Debates have the strongest effect on partisan voters, who become more favorable toward and more likely to vote for opponent-party candidates and less likely to vote for co-partisans. Experimental and unique observational data capturing participants' second-by-second reactions to the debates show that policy information was the most important causal mechanism driving partisan moderation, especially among strong partisans. A follow-up survey shows that these effects persist in electorally competitive communities, whereas they dissipate in party strongholds. Policy-centered debates have the potential to reduce partisan polarization in new democracies, but the local political context conditions the persistence of these effects.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15405907
Additional Information:	© 2019 Midwest Political Science Association
Divisions:	Government
Subjects:	J Political Science > JA Political science (General) B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date Deposited:	21 Aug 2019 15:45
Last Modified:	01 Nov 2024 05:32
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/101429

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