Theories of political behavior facts for kids
Have you ever wondered why people think the way they do about politics? Or why some people vote and others don't? Theories of political behavior try to answer these questions. They are part of political science, which is the study of how governments work and how people act in politics. These theories help us understand what makes someone choose a certain political idea, or how much they get involved in politics. It's all about how people act when it comes to power and government.
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Long-Term Political Influences
What shapes a person's political ideas over a long time? Many things can have a lasting effect.
Family and Upbringing
Your parents or guardians often have the first big influence on your political views. You might learn about politics from them as you grow up. Their ideas can help you decide how much you want to be involved in the political system.
Teachers and School
Teachers and other adults at school also play a big part. Think about how much time you spend in school! In the United States, students spend many hours in class each year. This time can shape how you think about the world and politics. Going to college also seems to make people more likely to vote. For example, a study found that college students voted more in the 2016 United States presidential election than other young adults.
Friends and Peers
Your friends can also affect your political ideas. Friends are often the same age as you. This means you might share similar experiences and concerns. Sharing these common experiences helps your ideas grow. It's like learning from each other about what's important in society.
Age and Changing Views
Scientists wonder if our political views change as we get older. Some think that our political ideas become set when we are young adults. This is called the impressionable years hypothesis. Others believe our views become harder to change as we get older. This is the increasing persistence hypothesis. But some think our ideas can stay flexible no matter our age. This is the life-long openness hypothesis.
Short-Term Political Influences
Besides long-term factors, some things can quickly change how people vote. These are often short-lived but can be very important.
Media Influence
Most experts agree that the mass media, like TV, news websites, and social media, really affect how people vote. The media can be a key place where political ideas are shared and debated. How you understand what the media says often depends on your own political beliefs.
Election Campaigns
During elections, things like campaign issues, debates, and commercials can change how people act politically. Different candidates try to influence voters in various ways. These efforts can shift people's political choices, even if only for a short time.
Social Groups and Politics
Recently, political scientists have looked at how different social groups affect political results. They study groups like age groups, gender, and ethnic groups. This can be understood through ideas like pluralism or social identity theory. Pluralism suggests that many different groups influence politics. Social identity theory says that our group memberships affect our political choices.
Ethnic Groups in the U.S.
In U.S. politics, ethnic groups can greatly influence election outcomes. For example, Hispanic Americans are becoming a strong political force. Their voting numbers increased a lot in the 2000 United States presidential election. While they don't always agree, many Hispanic Americans are concerned about issues like education and immigration. Most Hispanic Americans tend to vote for Democratic candidates. However, Cuban Americans are often more conservative. Many voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 United States presidential election. This trend started after many Cubans left their country following the Cuban Revolution.
African Americans have high voting rates in the U.S. They even voted more than white voters in the 2008 United States presidential election. In 2008 and 2012, African Americans voted strongly for Democratic candidate Barack Obama. This trend of voting for Democratic candidates continued in the 2016 election.
Women and Voting
In the past 30 years, women in the U.S. have voted more than men. In the 2016 Presidential Election, 52% of voters were women and 48% were men. This difference is called the Gender Gap. Women also tend to vote for Democratic candidates. This makes their impact on political results very important.
Biology and Political Behavior
Some studies look at how our biology might connect to our political behavior. This field is sometimes called genopolitics. It explores if things like our genes might influence our political ideas or how we vote.
Genes and Politics
Research into possible genetic links to political behavior has grown since the 1980s. The term genopolitics was created to describe studies that look for specific genes. These genes might be linked to our political ideas, beyond just what we learn from our family or friends.
One study looked at whether genes contribute to the "Gender Gap" in politics. The authors found that differences in political behavior between males and females cannot be explained by just their environment or just their genes. It's likely a mix of both.
Political Participation
Political scientists also want to know why people choose to get involved in democracy. This could mean voting, volunteering for campaigns, signing petitions, or protesting. Sometimes, it's not just about what makes sense. For example, the voting paradox points out that voting takes effort. A single vote is unlikely to change an election outcome. So, why do people vote? Scientists suggest that people vote for psychological or social reasons. Studies show that people are more likely to vote if their friends have voted. Or if someone in their house was encouraged to vote.
Political Psychology
Political psychology tries to explain political behavior using ideas from psychology. It looks at how our minds and feelings affect our political actions. Some theories in this field include right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation. These theories help us understand why people might hold certain political beliefs or support certain systems.
See also
In Spanish: Comportamiento político para niños
