Explaining Preferences from Behavior A Cognitive Dissonance Approach
The standard approach in positive political theory posits that action choices are the consequences of preferences. Social psychology—in particular, cognitive dissonance theory—suggests the opposite: preferences may themselves be affected by action choices. We present a framework that applies this id...
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| Published in | The Journal of politics Vol. 80; no. 2; pp. 400 - 411 |
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| Main Authors | , , |
| Format | Journal Article |
| Language | English |
| Published |
Chicago
University of Chicago on behalf of the Southern Political Science Association
01.04.2018
University of Chicago Press |
| Subjects | |
| Online Access | Get full text |
| ISSN | 0022-3816 1468-2508 |
| DOI | 10.1086/694541 |
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| Abstract | The standard approach in positive political theory posits that action choices are the consequences of preferences. Social psychology—in particular, cognitive dissonance theory—suggests the opposite: preferences may themselves be affected by action choices. We present a framework that applies this idea to three models of political choice: (1) one in which partisanship emerges naturally in a two-party systemdespite policy beingmultidimensional, (2) one in which interactions with people who express different views can lead to empathetic changes in political positions, and (3) one in which ethnic or racial hostility increases after acts of violence. These examples demonstrate how incorporating the insights of social psychology can expand the scope of formalization in political science. |
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| AbstractList | The standard approach in positive political theory posits that action choices are the consequences of preferences. Social psychology-in particular, cognitive dissonance theory-suggests the opposite: preferences may themselves be affected by action choices. We present a framework that applies this idea to three models of political choice: (1) one in which partisanship emerges naturally in a two-party system despite policy being multidimensional, (2) one in which interactions with people who express different views can lead to empathetic changes in political positions, and (3) one in which ethnic or racial hostility increases after acts of violence. These examples demonstrate how incorporating the insights of social psychology can expand the scope of formalization in political science. The standard approach in positive political theory posits that action choices are the consequences of preferences. Social psychology—in particular, cognitive dissonance theory—suggests the opposite: preferences may themselves be affected by action choices. We present a framework that applies this idea to three models of political choice: (1) one in which partisanship emerges naturally in a two-party systemdespite policy beingmultidimensional, (2) one in which interactions with people who express different views can lead to empathetic changes in political positions, and (3) one in which ethnic or racial hostility increases after acts of violence. These examples demonstrate how incorporating the insights of social psychology can expand the scope of formalization in political science. |
| Author | Blackwell, Matthew Sen, Maya Acharya, Avidit |
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| SubjectTerms | Cognitive dissonance Cognitive psychology Cognitive-behavioral factors Hostility Minority & ethnic violence Partisanship Political behavior Political parties Political science Political science theories Political theory Preferences Social psychology Two-party systems Violence |
| Subtitle | A Cognitive Dissonance Approach |
| Title | Explaining Preferences from Behavior |
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