Candidate Attacks and Voter Aversion: The Uncertain Link Between Negativity and Campaign Satisfaction
Year: 2003
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: We examine the link between how politicians campaign and how voters perceive both them and the campaign generally. We focus on negative campaigning in particular. Drawing on data from the 1998 and 2002 California gubernatorial races, we find that voters do not necessarily perceive changes in advertising tone as they occur. Furthermore, they do not consider all negative advertising unhelpful or uninformative. Finally, those voters who are mostly inclined to support negative campaigning in the abstract-the politically sophisticated-are the least satisfied with campaigns, suggesting that factors other than the tone of advertisements may explain voter discontent with the electoral process.
Authors: John Sides, Matthew Grossman, Keena Lipsitz, Christine Trost
Institution: The University of Texas at Austin
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W349314812