Group Consciousness and Issue Voting: A Theory of Limited Issue Groups

• In Event: Poster Session: Ralph Bunche Summer Institute (RBSI) Scholars

Abstract

Theories of group consciousness, especially among racial and ethnic groups, feature the impact it has on political participation. However, there is a gap in direct literature concerned with how group consciousness might affect vote choice, especially when considering issue voting. By combining previous research on both issue voting and group consciousness, I establish a theory of Limited Issue Groups and propose two hypotheses to test the applicability of this theory. Ultimately, I find strong indications that this theory is a useful framework for understanding vote choice.

Author

• Christina Stafford, Elon University