persuasion and mobilization

Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

A theory of persuasion describing two routes to attitude change:
• Central route: thoughtful, evidence-based processing.
• Peripheral route: surface cues like emotion, credibility, or attractiveness.
Example: A voter analyzes policy proposals (central) versus being swayed by a celebrity endorsement (peripheral).
Connection: Explains why political ads can persuade even low-information voters; connects to heuristics and emotion-driven cognition.

Central Route Persuasion

When individuals carefully evaluate arguments and evidence before forming an opinion.
Example: A politically interested citizen researches tax policy before voting.
Connection: Requires motivation and ability; leads to more durable attitude change.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

When people rely on quick emotional or symbolic cues rather than deep analysis.
Example: Feeling positive toward a candidate after seeing uplifting imagery in an ad.
Connection: Produces short-term shifts; ties to hot cognition and affect transfer.

Positive Campaign Advertising

Messages that emphasize a candidate’s accomplishments or optimism to elicit enthusiasm.
Example: A campaign ad highlighting job growth and unity under the incumbent.
Connection: Reinforces existing support and mobilizes turnout through positive emotion (enthusiasm in the disposition system).

Negative Campaign Advertising

Messages that attack opponents or highlight risks, evoking fear or anger.
Example: An ad warning voters that an opponent will raise taxes or end programs.
Connection: Fear increases vigilance (surveillance system), while anger spurs action; connects to Affective Intelligence Theory.

Fear Appeals in Politics

Communication designed to trigger fear to motivate attention and behavioral change.
Example: Ads showing consequences of terrorism to promote security policies.
Connection: Activates the surveillance system; encourages information seeking and political engagement.

Anger Appeals in Politics

Messages that provoke anger toward opponents or issues to spur mobilization.
Example: A campaign spot blaming another party for economic decline.
Connection: Increases participation but can reduce trust and deliberation; linked to Affective Intelligence findings.

Anxiety and Information Seeking (Brader 2005)

Anxiety increases political attentiveness and openness to new information.
Example: Anxious citizens after unsettling news consume more political coverage.
Connection: Supports the surveillance system within Affective Intelligence Theory.

Gerber & Green (2000) Field Experiments

Demonstrated that direct personal contact (door-to-door canvassing) significantly increases voter turnout.
Example: Voters contacted by volunteers were several percentage points more likely to vote.
Connection: Shows causal evidence for mobilization through interpersonal communication.

Gerber, Green & Larimer (2008) Social Pressure Experiment

Found that sending neighbors’ voting records increased turnout by about 8%.
Example: Mailers showing who voted last election motivated citizens to maintain social reputation.
Connection: Demonstrates social pressure as a powerful non-policy driver of participation; connects to social identity influences.

Mobilization vs. Persuasion

Mobilization encourages citizens to act (vote); persuasion changes minds.
Example: A GOTV text reminds you to vote (mobilization) vs. an ad convincing you which candidate to choose (persuasion).
Connection: Both rely on psychological triggers—emotion for persuasion, social norms for mobilization.

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Effects of Campaigns

Campaign messages can shift opinions briefly, but enduring attitude change depends on repeated exposure and identity reinforcement.
Example: Debate performance boosts polls temporarily, but party ID predicts final vote.
Connection: Integrates ELM and Party Identification; central-route persuasion needed for lasting change.

Role of Emotions in Persuasion

Emotions like fear, anger, and enthusiasm shape how people process political messages.
Example: Fear prompts fact checking; anger drives activism; enthusiasm reinforces loyalty.
Connection: Directly draws from Affective Intelligence Theory; bridges emotional and informational models of campaign influence.

Social Networks and Mobilization

People are more likely to participate when encouraged by friends or family in their social circle.
Example: Discussing an upcoming election with politically active peers increases turnout.
Connection: Extends Gerber & Green’s findings; aligns with resource model (“because somebody asked”).