From on High: The Effect of Elite Polarization on Mass Attitudes and Behaviors: 1972–2012

Forthcoming in the British Journal of Political Science

37 Pages Posted: 7 Jul 2014 Last revised: 10 Aug 2015

See all articles by Joshua Zingher

Joshua Zingher

Old Dominion University

Michael E. Flynn

Binghamton University; Kansas State University - Department of Political Science

Date Written: July 6, 2014

Abstract

There is widespread agreement that American political elites have become increasingly ideologically polarized. However, there is disagreement about how the mass electorate has responded to the increase in polarization at the elite level. We argue that individuals’ expressions of ideology and partisanship respond to changes in elite-level polarization. Because party elites have become more polarized, individuals are better able to the party that best matches their own ideological positions, thereby contributing to polarization at the mass level. We test this argument using 36 years of ANES and DW-NOMINATE data. Placing voters in policy space using a measurement model, we assess whether or not elite-level factors condition how individuals’ underlying ideology translates into political behavior. We find that the relationship between a voter’s position in policy space and their political behavior is indeed conditional upon polarization at the elite level.

Keywords: Polarization, Partisanship, Voting Behavior, Congress

Suggested Citation

Zingher, Joshua and Flynn, Michael E. and Flynn, Michael E., From on High: The Effect of Elite Polarization on Mass Attitudes and Behaviors: 1972–2012 (July 6, 2014). Forthcoming in the British Journal of Political Science, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2462876 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2462876

Joshua Zingher (Contact Author)

Old Dominion University ( email )

Norfolk, VA 23529-0222
United States
3199296320 (Phone)

Michael E. Flynn

Kansas State University - Department of Political Science ( email )

244 Waters Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
United States

Binghamton University ( email )

PO Box 6001
Binghamton, NY 13902-6000
United States

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