The social groups to which individuals belong, as well as the identities that result from these group memberships, exert powerful influences on their political attitudes. Additionally, political elites offer cues that shape these same preferences—often by targeting and interacting with identities. However, there remain underexplored pathways by which elites can influence political attitudes via identities, particularly in an era of fragmented media and clarified configurations of allied social groups. In contrast to prior research that examines how political elites engage directly with social identities, I examine three distinct indirect mechanisms of elite-identity influence. First, I show that when elites highlight identities in their communications in ways that impact attitudes, these effects are contagious to individuals not directly exposed to that messaging. I combine in-person discussion groups with a survey experiment to demonstrate that elite-driven identity influence may be more extensive than previously understood. Second, I examine the effects that elite actions have on everyday individuals belonging to identity groups the elites claim to represent. Fielding a survey experiment on a sample of African-American respondents, I find that elite collaboration can improve intergroup relationships at the mass level, but a rejected coalition can result in a backlash that deteriorates intergroup solidarity. Third, I explore how political disputes between elite actors affect not only members of the identity groups to which the elites belong, but also impact third-party observers who are not directly implicated in the conflict. Such exchanges have a negative impact on attitudes toward a group whose representative initiates conflict. Together, these studies provide a more nuanced understanding of how political elites can influence public opinion via identity in a contemporary political landscape.

Creator

• Rothschild, Jacob

DOI

• https://doi.org/10.21985/n2-7w7q-en22

Subject

• Political science

Language

• en

Alternate Identifier

• http://dissertations.umi.com/northwestern:15103
• etdadmin_upload_742932

Keyword

• political psychology
• political elites
• political communication
• identity
• intergroup relations
• political behavior

Date created

• 2020-01-01

Resource type

• Dissertation

Rights statement

• In Copyright