Feelings of Political Efficacy in the Fifty States

June 19, 2020

By: Jennifer Wolak University of Colorado Boulder Published: 20 July 2017 Abstract: What makes people feel influential in politics? While prior studies describe political efficacy as a stable and socialized trait, I argue that feelings of effectiveness in politics follow from the actions of politicians and the design of government...

Descriptive Representation and the Political Engagement of Women

June 19, 2020

By: Jennifer Wolak, University of Colorado Boulder Published: 26 February 2019 Abstract: When women are represented on the campaign trail and in elected office, women in the electorate have been shown to report greater engagement in politics. However, most evidence of the effects of descriptive representation on women's empowerment is...

State Policy Outcomes and State Legislative Approval

June 19, 2020

By: Stephani Langehennig, Joseph Zamadics, Jennifer Wolak, University of Colorado Boulder Published: 13 Janurary 2019 Abstract: Does the public’s approval of their state legislature reflect their satisfaction with the outputs of state government? Using survey responses from the 2014 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, we consider the roots of public approval...

Descriptive representation and political knowledge

June 19, 2020

By: Jennifer Wolak, University of Colorado Boulder Published: 09 June 2019 Abstract: Political knowledge is an incredible political resource for citizens, promoting informed voter decision-making and helping citizens hold their elected officials accountable. But it is a resource that is not equitably distributed in the electorate, as blacks, Latinos, and...

Self-Esteem and the Development of Partisan Identity

June 19, 2020

By: Jennifer Wolak, University of Colorado Boulder Published: 21 May 2019 Abstract: Why do young people choose to identify with a political party? While existing accounts emphasize the importance of political socialization, we propose that young people’s self-perceptions also influence the adoption of partisan identities. Using survey data from the...

Self-Confidence and Gender Gaps in Political Interest, Attention, and Efficacy

June 19, 2020

By: Jennifer Wolak, University of Colorado Boulder Published: 12 May 2019 Read More Here: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1086/708644

john griffin

Presidents and the Congressional Black Caucus: The Racial Consequences of Electoral Incentives

June 18, 2020

John D. Griffin and Brian Newman Published: 2019, Presidential Studies Quarterly 49(2): 310-329. Abstract: Presidents face incentives to move toward the median voter as elections approach. We explore the racial consequences of these electoral incentives. As presidents move toward the center, they move away from ideologically noncentrist groups like the...

John Griffin

A God of Vengeance and of Reward? Voters and Accountability

June 18, 2020

John D. Griffin, Brian Newman, and David W. Nickerson Published: 2019, Legislative Studies Quarterly 44(1): 133-162 Abstract: Theories of democratic politics prize congruence between citizens’ preferences and their elected representatives’ actions in office. Elections are a critical means for achieving such policy congruence, providing voters the opportunity to chasten representatives...

john griffin

Class War in the Voting Booth: Bias Against High-Income Congressional Candidates.

June 18, 2020

John D. Griffin, Brian Newman, and Patrick Buhr Published: 2020, Legislative Studies Quarterly 45(1) Abstract: Do Americans care how much money congressional candidates earn? We conducted three experiments to examine how candidates' incomes affect voters' perceptions of the candidates' traits and ultimately their vote intention. Subjects evaluated otherwise identical candidates...

Andy Baker

Does Democratization Lower Consumer Prices? Regime Type, Prices, and the Consumer–Producer Tradeoff.

June 17, 2020

Andy Baker, University of Colorado Boulder & Stefan Wojcik, Data Scientist, USA Published: 2019 Abstract: The booming literature on the consequences of democratization for material welfare has produced no findings on the relationship between regime type and relative consumer prices. The literature largely shows that democracies favor masses over elites,...

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