Comments on: If nudged, most voters flip-flop http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/if-nudged-most-voters-flip-flop/ Research news from leading universities Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:52:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Adair http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/if-nudged-most-voters-flip-flop/comment-page-1/#comment-416 Adair Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:46:08 +0000 http://futurity.org/?p=3400#comment-416 Did they just generalize from the way Stanford university students think about politics to make a statement like "most people are flexible when thinking about social issues."? I don't doubt that thinking about certain things will change the way you think and behave, regardless of what demographic you belong to or what your current political allegiance is, but I doubt that college-aged students or students in a top university have no differences in the way they think about politics compared to the general population. Some mention of that possibility should be made, preferably alongside a mention of how suggestible people are in other research. Did they just generalize from the way Stanford university students think about politics to make a statement like “most people are flexible when thinking about social issues.”?

I don’t doubt that thinking about certain things will change the way you think and behave, regardless of what demographic you belong to or what your current political allegiance is, but I doubt that college-aged students or students in a top university have no differences in the way they think about politics compared to the general population. Some mention of that possibility should be made, preferably alongside a mention of how suggestible people are in other research.

]]> By: SKS http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/if-nudged-most-voters-flip-flop/comment-page-1/#comment-395 SKS Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:07:33 +0000 http://futurity.org/?p=3400#comment-395 BK, you bring up a terrific point and as a middle-of-the-roader, I definitely do base my voting more on "who will screw up the country LESS?" Damage control. BK, you bring up a terrific point and as a middle-of-the-roader, I definitely do base my voting more on “who will screw up the country LESS?” Damage control.

]]> By: BK Silva http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/if-nudged-most-voters-flip-flop/comment-page-1/#comment-378 BK Silva Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:17:01 +0000 http://futurity.org/?p=3400#comment-378 Sounds like issue-oriented politics continues to move to the fore as political party squabbles [READ: the perceived inefficiencies & ineffectiveness thereof] drive folks into dealignment. It would be interesting to learn how many middle-of-the-roaders are viewing their allegiance to party candidates and platform issues as "damage control" vice "endorsement"? Are they voting in support of something or choosing the option that would do their own position the least damage? Sounds like issue-oriented politics continues to move to the fore as political party squabbles [READ: the perceived inefficiencies & ineffectiveness thereof] drive folks into dealignment.

It would be interesting to learn how many middle-of-the-roaders are viewing their allegiance to party candidates and platform issues as “damage control” vice “endorsement”?

Are they voting in support of something or choosing the option that would do their own position the least damage?

]]>