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Voting behaviour and the media - Coggle Diagram
Voting behaviour and the media
social factors that affect voting behaviour
social class
AB- banker, doctor etc C1- teacher, office manager C2- plumber. hairdresser DE- labourer, unemplyed etc
floating voters- tend to vote in an unpredictable manner
class dealignment- individuals no longer identify themselves as belonging to a certain class for political purposes
2019 GE AB- 45% CONS 30% LAB DE- 41% CONS 39% LAB
party voting
core voters- voters who will invariably support one or the main parties
partisan dealignment- the process where individuals no longer identify themselves on a long term basis by being associated with a certain political party
gender
typically gender makes little differences in voting patterns but women marginally opt for labour
education
until 60's those whom were educated tended to be mc and so tended to vote conservative
education has a liberalising effect where voters are more likely to vote labour or lib dem
eg 2017, 47% of people who held a degree were likely to vote labour or lib dem but 36% would vote Conservative
age
explanations why younger voters were more likely to vote labour than Conservative
younger people tend to be more progressive
as people age they have more assets and so focus on rational interests more
younger people have fewer resposibilities and so can indulge in outward looking ideas
ethnicity
1997- 18% of BAME voters voted conservative 70% voted for labour
2019 20% BAME voters voted cons and 64% labour
reasons for BAME voters to lean to labour
labour is historically linked to encouraging labour movements to adopt policies to protect its supporters which immigrants who worked in industrial roles heavily participated in
conservative party had reputation in 60's pf being anti-immigrant eg Enoch Powel rivers of blood speech with strong support for white centred nationalism
BAME often in lower social classes
region
wealth and income is not evenly distributed in the north and south of England
regional variations heavily linked to class
eg 2015 GE
north of England 31% cons 43% lab
south of England 46% cons 26% lab
disillusion and apathy
process of disengagement with politics
reasons
younger people are finding more ways of political participation
many young people abstain due to lack of belief in any specific party
younger people more interested in single issues
individual voting theories
valence
a valence issue is one where voters may make their decision based on the party or candidate they think is most likely to run the country effectively
rational choice
people vote based on their own self interest
issue voting
single issue voting
factors that affect individual voting
maifestos
mandate- the successful party following an election has the authority to implement its manifesto promises
a mandate represents the consent of the people, allowing a party to do what it feels is necessary in the national interest if it succeeds in being elected
significance of the mandate doctrine is that -it makes electors feel comfortable knowing which policies they are consenting to when they cast their vote - it strengthens government - parliament can call gov to account
party leaders
satisfaction ratings 2019
Johnson- 39% satisfied 40% dissatisfied
Corbyn 20% satisfied 58% dissatisfied
tactical voting
the media
forms of media
social media
broadcasting
press
example of a media moment impacting election outcomes
2015 television leaders debate
Ed Miliband fell off the stage and said "hell yes, i'm tough enough" as a response to a question which made him seem less prime ministerial than Cameron
however opinion polls suggested the debate made no impact to voting and only confirmed existing intensions
changes in the role of the media since 1980's
tabloid press has become more partisan with rise of social media
tabloids focus on scandals rather than informing the public
media prioritizes negative political stories over positive ones
public opinion polls
carried out by research organisation using typical voter samples
arguments they should be banned
may influence people
have proved to be inaccurate and so may mislead people
politicians should not be captive to changing public opinion as expressed in the polls
arguments they should be banned
would infringe of principle of freedom of expression
they will become privately avaliable if not public and so it becomes who can afford to buy them
would give valuable attitudes to help guide politicians