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2 - The People

From Individuals to Communities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 November 2023

Stephen M. Maurer
Affiliation:
University of California, Berkeley
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Summary

This chapter reviews and reconciles two theories of voting. Rational man models treat voters as actors seeking to maximize their material self-interest. Because their policy knowledge is limited, they often rely on ideology, trusted figures, and information picked up in the course of everyday activities to reach a decision. By comparison, survey evidence has shown that many voters are social, i.e. routinely adopt the opinions of those around them. The chapter concludes by describing various theoretical frameworks which unify these models. The combined models typically predict new behaviors in which initially small majorities are typically amplified; established opinions resist change for long periods; and very dramatic, once-in-a-generation events can abruptly reshuffle voters beliefs.

Type
Chapter
Information
We Hold These Truths
Updating the Framers' Vision of American Democracy
, pp. 24 - 60
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • The People
  • Stephen M. Maurer, University of California, Berkeley
  • Book: We Hold These Truths
  • Online publication: 30 November 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108990646.004
Available formats
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To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • The People
  • Stephen M. Maurer, University of California, Berkeley
  • Book: We Hold These Truths
  • Online publication: 30 November 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108990646.004
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The People
  • Stephen M. Maurer, University of California, Berkeley
  • Book: We Hold These Truths
  • Online publication: 30 November 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108990646.004
Available formats
×