Minimal Effects Model Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

The minimal effects model is a political science theory that argues that campaigns generally have only a minor impact on voter choice. It is based on the work of Paul Lazarsfeld in the 1940s. Central to the minimal effects model is the contention that most voters have clear, strong opinions on issues, and campaigns mainly serve to reinforce those attitudes. It is premised on the idea that candidates will have unambiguous positions on issues, which allows voters clear choices. People with strong partisan opinions are especially susceptible to campaign messages that link candidates with their biases. Partisan voters even tend to ignore or tune out information or messages that run counter to their beliefs and reject information from rival campaigns that seeks to change their preference or party affiliation. Consequently, the hypothesis contends that the most significant impact that campaigns can have is on voter turnout.

New research in the 1980s and 1990s questioned the micro foundations of the original minimal effects model. Such scholarship examined, for example, the role of issue relevance and the propensity of voters to discount public information sources versus private sources. Our understanding of campaign effects remains incomplete—there is convincing evidence that campaigns matter overall, but much less evidence of the effect or the effectiveness of their parts and mechanisms.

Bibliography:

Brady, H. E., and R. Johnston. Capturing Campaign Effects. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2006.
Goldstein, G., and T. N. Ridout. “Measuring the Effects of Televised Political Advertising in the United States.” Annual Review of Politics 7 (2004): 205–226.
Lazarsfeld, P. F., B. Berelson, and H. Gaudet. The People’s Choice: How the Voter Makes Up His Mind in a Presidential Campaign. New York: Columbia University Press, 1948.

This example Minimal Effects Model Essay is published for educational and informational purposes only. If you need a custom essay or research paper on this topic please use our writing services. EssayEmpire.com offers reliable custom essay writing services that can help you to receive high grades and impress your professors with the quality of each essay or research paper you hand in.