Reconceiving Decision-Making in Democratic Politics - Attention, Choice, and Public Policy

Most models of political decision-making maintain that individual preferences remain relatively constant. Why, then, are there often sudden abrupt changes in public opinion on political issues? Or total reversals by politicians on specific issues? Bryan D. Jones answers these questions by innovatively connecting insights from cognitive science and rational choice theory to political life.Individuals and political systems alike, Jones argues, tend to be attentive to only one issue at a time. Using numerous examples from elections, public opinion polls, congressional deliberations, and of bureaucratic decision-making, he shows how shifting attentiveness can and does alter choices and political outcomes--even when underlying preferences remain relatively fixed. An individual, for example, may initially decide to vote for a candidate because of her stand on spending but change his vote when he learns of her position on abortion, never really balancing the two options.

Summary

Why are there often sudden abrupt changes in public opinion on political issues? Or total reversals in congressional support for specific legislation? Jones aims to answer these questions by connecting insights from cognitive science and rational-choice theory to political life.

Product details

• Authors: Bryan D. Jones, Jones Bryan D.
• Publisher: University Presses
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.03.1995
• EAN: 9780226406510
• ISBN: 978-0-226-40651-0
• No. of pages: 285
• Dimensions: 15 mm x 23 mm x 2 mm
• Weight: 425 g
• Series: American Politics & Political
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political theories and the history of ideas; USA, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, Political science & theory, United States of America, USA, Political science and theory, Public Opinion & Polls, Public opinion and polls, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Public Opinion Polling