Journal Articles

When citizens go against elite directions : Partisan cues and contrast effects on citizens’ attitudes

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While much research has investigated the persuasive effects of partisan cues on citizens’ evaluations of political messages, our knowledge regarding failed persuasion is limited. It remains particularly unclear whether failed elite attempts at persuasion simply leave citizens’ attitudes unchanged or whether such attempts at persuading one segment of the electorate can actually lead to a loss of support in others. This study therefore investigates partisan cues and the occurrence of contrast effects, i.e. when the presence of an elite cue induces citizens to shift their attitudes away from the viewpoint advocated in a persuasive message. Based on data from three experiments involving two different party leader cues, I demonstrate that partisan cues can trigger contrast effects among those perceiving the party leader in question as non-likeable and those who vote for a party which is politically opposed to the source. The implications of the findings are discussed.

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Detail Information

Series Title

Party Politics

Call Number

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Publisher

Thousand Oak : sage publisher., 2012

Collation

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Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

13540688

Classification

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Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

Vol. 18 no. 2, March 2012,pp. 215-233

Subject(s)

party leaders
Source cues
When citizens go against elite directions
Contrast effects

Specific Detail Info

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