Political Campaigns and Open-Minded Thinking

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By this: publisher
In this Subject: Political Science
By this author: Kam, Cindy D.

Author: Kam, Cindy D.

Source: The Journal of Politics, Volume 68, Number 4, November 2006 , pp. 931-945(15)

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Abstract:

This article argues that campaigns do more than shape the electoral choices that citizens make. Campaigns also encourage citizens to engage in open-minded thinking. Analyses of the Senate Election Study show that intense campaigns chip away at pro-incumbent biases, motivating citizens to acknowledge pros and cons regarding the candidates. These gains in open-minded thinking appear among both more- and less-educated citizens. Intense campaigns provide citizens with the motivation to engage in open-minded thinking regarding candidates for public office. As such, electoral campaigns, as recurring national and subnational conversations about politics, can fulfill an important social function by pulling citizens into open-minded thinking.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2508.2006.00479.x

Publication date: 2006-11-01