Difference between revisions of "Social Structural Theories of Voting"

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This lecture was given in [[PS 240]] on 9/26 and continued on 9/29 briefly.
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Social Structural Theories of Voting was a lecture given in [[PS 240]] on September 26th and continued on September 29th.
  
'''Possible Exam Questions'''
+
==Possible Exam Questions==
  
1. Nobody has offered any yet.
+
*List and describe the connections between voting and social predictors.
 +
*Explain dealignment / realignment, and list three realigning elections in the United States.
 +
*Describe Network Theory, discussing the influence of marriage, parents/children, and friends.  
  
'''Lecture Material'''
+
==Lecture Material==
  
We covered...
+
===Social context===
  
Social context
+
Social context is the origins of our beliefs instilled in us and our attitudes and the attitudes of others.
    Origins of our beliefs, etc. - instilled in us - our attitudes and the attitudes of others.
 
Politics - parties activate class identity, religious identity - based on how much support they gain.
 
  
Connections between voting and social predictors
+
===Politics===
1. socio-economic
 
2. religion
 
3. ethnicity
 
  
Three fundamental processes by which associations are formed
+
Political parties activate class identity, religious identity based on how much support they gain.
1. Differentiation - look at a group (group B)and see that they are different than us.  Since we do not believe that way, we must be something else (group A). 
 
2. Transmission - attention transmitted through authority figure to child (through friends, teachers, etc.)
 
3. Contact - direct contact with other members of the social group.
 
  
Challenges:
+
===Connections between voting and social predictors===
  
Dealignment / Realignment (shifts or dramatic changes in political alignments)
+
*Socio-economic
 +
 
 +
*Religious
 +
 
 +
*Ethnical
 +
 
 +
===Three fundamental processes by which associations are formed===
 +
 
 +
*Differentiation - Look at a group (group B) and see that they are different than us.  Since we do not believe that way, we must be something else (group A). 
 +
 
 +
*Transmission - Attention transmitted through authority figure to child (through friends, teachers, etc.)
 +
 
 +
*Contact - direct contact with other members of the social group.
 +
 
 +
===Cross pressured, or cross cutting cleavages===
 +
 
 +
When someone is of multiple indicators (socio-economic status, religion, and ethnicity) that contradict each other.
 +
One example is a Baptist female. Baptists are predominately right leaning, while females are left leaning. Another example is a young Cuban, Cubans generally vote right, while a vast majority of young voters vote left.
 +
 
 +
===Challenges===
 +
Dealignment / Realignment - (shifts or dramatic changes in political alignments)
  
 
Realigning elections in United States history
 
Realigning elections in United States history
 +
 
1800 — Thomas Jefferson - Democratic-Republican Party (from the Federalist Party)  
 
1800 — Thomas Jefferson - Democratic-Republican Party (from the Federalist Party)  
 +
 
1828 — Andrew Jackson - Democratic Party
 
1828 — Andrew Jackson - Democratic Party
 +
 
1860 — Abraham Lincoln - Republican Party
 
1860 — Abraham Lincoln - Republican Party
 +
 
1896 — William McKinley - Republican Party (marked the beginning of the Progressive Era)
 
1896 — William McKinley - Republican Party (marked the beginning of the Progressive Era)
 +
 
1932 — Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Democrat (New Deal)
 
1932 — Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Democrat (New Deal)
 +
 
1964 - Lyndon B. Johnson - Democratic
 
1964 - Lyndon B. Johnson - Democratic
 +
 
1968 — Richard Nixon - Republican
 
1968 — Richard Nixon - Republican
 +
 
1980 — Ronald Reagan - Republican
 
1980 — Ronald Reagan - Republican
 
          
 
          
Reasons for realignment:
 
class weakens
 
increase in education
 
greater amount of contact outside of our groups
 
secularization
 
  
Other challenges:
+
===Reasons for realignment===
New American Voter (from 1960's (published in 1970's))
+
 
Vote more on issues instead of party
+
Weakening of class
voters are sophisticated and more knowledgeable
+
 
 +
Increase in education
 +
 
 +
Greater amount of contact outside of our groups
 +
 
 +
Secularization (more so in Europe)
 +
 
 +
 
 +
===Other challenges===
 +
 
 +
The Changing American Voter (from 1960's (published in 1970's)) - Vote more on issues instead of party; voters are sophisticated and more knowledgeable.  It argues that the 1960's changed voting.
 +
 
 
Class - service economy
 
Class - service economy
divide between public and private sector workers
 
  
post materialism
+
Divide between public (generally left) and private (generally right) sector workers (blue collar vs. white collar)
 +
-- less in US than Europe, where this can be a strong predictor
 +
 
 +
Post materialism
  
 
quality of life - environment, air quality, etc
 
quality of life - environment, air quality, etc
 +
-- Instead of worrying about financial concerns, focus on liberty, environment, civil rights, quality of life
 +
-- Class falls away as a divide
 +
-- Fits in well with "The Changing American Voter" argument
  
 
partisan identification
 
partisan identification
 +
 +
 +
===Network Theory===
 +
 +
Who you are connected to, who you discuss politics with--
 +
*Micro level (how individuals interact); Macro level would be something like "How does the middle class vote?"--
 +
*Individuals weigh information they receive--
 +
*Social groups are not together all the time--
 +
*Strong ties vs. weak ties--
 +
*Strong ties include marriage, children, friends (close and acquaintances)--
 +
*Weak ties include how you might influence someone you do not know through another person
 +
*(Example: If person A is married to person B and person B works with person C, even though person A has never met person C, they influence one another through person B.)--
 +
 +
Chain of influences diminishes quickly--weak ties only have an effect when the individual is once removed, no more.
 +
More influence over disagreements than though agreements. The more diverse an individual's network is, the more knowledgeable and likely to participate s/he is likely to be.
 +
 +
[[Category:PS 240]]

Latest revision as of 14:50, 13 October 2008

Social Structural Theories of Voting was a lecture given in PS 240 on September 26th and continued on September 29th.

Possible Exam Questions[edit]

  • List and describe the connections between voting and social predictors.
  • Explain dealignment / realignment, and list three realigning elections in the United States.
  • Describe Network Theory, discussing the influence of marriage, parents/children, and friends.

Lecture Material[edit]

Social context[edit]

Social context is the origins of our beliefs instilled in us and our attitudes and the attitudes of others.

Politics[edit]

Political parties activate class identity, religious identity based on how much support they gain.

Connections between voting and social predictors[edit]

  • Socio-economic
  • Religious
  • Ethnical

Three fundamental processes by which associations are formed[edit]

  • Differentiation - Look at a group (group B) and see that they are different than us. Since we do not believe that way, we must be something else (group A).
  • Transmission - Attention transmitted through authority figure to child (through friends, teachers, etc.)
  • Contact - direct contact with other members of the social group.

Cross pressured, or cross cutting cleavages[edit]

When someone is of multiple indicators (socio-economic status, religion, and ethnicity) that contradict each other. One example is a Baptist female. Baptists are predominately right leaning, while females are left leaning. Another example is a young Cuban, Cubans generally vote right, while a vast majority of young voters vote left.

Challenges[edit]

Dealignment / Realignment - (shifts or dramatic changes in political alignments)

Realigning elections in United States history

1800 — Thomas Jefferson - Democratic-Republican Party (from the Federalist Party)

1828 — Andrew Jackson - Democratic Party

1860 — Abraham Lincoln - Republican Party

1896 — William McKinley - Republican Party (marked the beginning of the Progressive Era)

1932 — Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Democrat (New Deal)

1964 - Lyndon B. Johnson - Democratic

1968 — Richard Nixon - Republican

1980 — Ronald Reagan - Republican


Reasons for realignment[edit]

Weakening of class

Increase in education

Greater amount of contact outside of our groups

Secularization (more so in Europe)


Other challenges[edit]

The Changing American Voter (from 1960's (published in 1970's)) - Vote more on issues instead of party; voters are sophisticated and more knowledgeable. It argues that the 1960's changed voting.

Class - service economy

Divide between public (generally left) and private (generally right) sector workers (blue collar vs. white collar) -- less in US than Europe, where this can be a strong predictor

Post materialism

quality of life - environment, air quality, etc -- Instead of worrying about financial concerns, focus on liberty, environment, civil rights, quality of life -- Class falls away as a divide -- Fits in well with "The Changing American Voter" argument

partisan identification


Network Theory[edit]

Who you are connected to, who you discuss politics with--

  • Micro level (how individuals interact); Macro level would be something like "How does the middle class vote?"--
  • Individuals weigh information they receive--
  • Social groups are not together all the time--
  • Strong ties vs. weak ties--
  • Strong ties include marriage, children, friends (close and acquaintances)--
  • Weak ties include how you might influence someone you do not know through another person
  • (Example: If person A is married to person B and person B works with person C, even though person A has never met person C, they influence one another through person B.)--

Chain of influences diminishes quickly--weak ties only have an effect when the individual is once removed, no more. More influence over disagreements than though agreements. The more diverse an individual's network is, the more knowledgeable and likely to participate s/he is likely to be.