Publication
Title
How politicians learn about public opinion
Author
Abstract
Politicians learning about public opinion and responding to their resulting perceptions is one key way via which responsive policy-making comes about. Despite the strong normative importance of politicians’ understanding of public opinion, empirical evidence on how politicians learn about these opinions in the first place is scant. Drawing on survey data collected from almost 900 incumbent politicians in five countries, this study presents unique descriptive evidence on which public opinion sources politicians deem most useful. The findings show that politicians deem direct citizen contact and information from traditional news media as the most useful sources of public opinion information, while social media cues and polls are considered much less useful. These findings matter for substantive representation, and for citizens’ feeling of being represented.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Research & Politics
Publication
2023
ISSN
2053-1680
DOI
10.1177/20531680231200692
Volume/pages
10 :3 (2023) , p. 1-9
ISI
001079678200001
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
The Impact of Information and Own Preferences on Political Elites' Perceptions of the Voters' Policy Wishes.
Publication type
Subject
Law 
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 18.09.2023
Last edited 02.02.2024
To cite this reference