Abstract

The study of political behavior is broad in scope, encompassing both conduct in political settings and the psychological, sociological, and economic precursors that lead people to value different things, harbor different beliefs, and pursue different objectives. Much of the scholarship in this domain is descriptive. Researchers measure quantities such as the proportion of the public that feels a sense of attachment to a political party, assess whether these proportions have changed over time, and estimate correlations among variables such as conservatism and party affiliation. Other scholarly investigations focus on cause-and-effect relationships. For example, does exposure to political campaigns make voters more knowledgeable about the candidates’ stances on policy issues?