This study examines the cognitive and affective factors of candidate appraisal by manipulating candidate attractiveness and levels of issue agreement with voters. Drawing upon research in evolutionary psychology and cognitive neuroscience, this analysis proposes that automatic processing of physical appearance predisposes affective disposition toward more attractive candidates, thereby influencing cognitive processing of issue information. An experimental design presented attractive and unattractive candidates who were either liberal or conservative in a mock primary election. The data show strong partial effects for appearance on vote intention, an interaction between appearance and issue agreement, and a tendency for voters to assimilate the dissimilar views of attractive candidates. We argue that physical appearance is important in primary elections when the differences in issue positions and ideology between candidates is small.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 March 2011
Physical attractiveness, issue agreement, and assimilation effects in candidate appraisal
James N. Schubert,
Margaret Ann Curran,
Carmen Strungaru
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
It is not available for individual sale.
This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
It is not available for individual sale.
Politics and the Life Sciences
Vol. 30 • No. 1
Spring 2011
Vol. 30 • No. 1
Spring 2011
assimilation effects
candidate appraisal
electoral viability
issue agreement
Physical attractiveness
political evaluation
visual cues