Political Behavior

Theories of political behavior, as an aspect of political science, attempt to quantify and explain the influences that define a person's political views, ideology, and levels of political participation. Theorists who have had an influence on this field include Karl Deutsch and Theodor Adorno.

The rise of the donor class and the influx of corporate cash have caused many voters to lose faith in politics.

Americans don't like political parties. And often, that applies to their own party too.

Midterm elections are always lower-turnout affairs, but 2014 was exceptional: A meager 36 percent of eligible voters cast ballots, 5 points lower than in 2010 and the worst turnout rate since 1942, according to the U.S. Elections Project.

A recent study shows that children who are raised to have strong beliefs are also more likely to rebel against those views as they age.

he fact of scarcity, which exists everywhere, guarantees that people will compete for resources. Markets are one way to organize and channel this competition. Politics is another. People use both markets and politics to get resources allocated to the ends they favor. Even in a democracy, however, political activity is startlingly different from voluntary exchange in markets.

The analysis of political behavior proceeds from the assumption that politics as a special form of human activity is not, and cannot be, independent of what is known or knowable about social behavior generally.

One can be cavalier about the vote for a member of Congress, a senator or perhaps even a governor, but the presidency is a different. When it comes to selecting a president, Americans want someone with whom they can agree on major issues - but they also want something more than that.

The most interesting questions about an election are not concerned with who won but with such questions as why people voted the way that they did or what the implications of the results are. These questions are not always easily answered. Looking only at the campaign events and incidents will not suffice.

When casting a vote for a political candidate, people rely on countless peripheral cues such as height, facial features, personal charisma, quality of voice, and warmth of a smile. Bottom line: We vote for those who look and sound presidential.

Americans see the big picture when it comes to the changing balance of power in Washington, but is not sure which party controls which house of Congress.