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2021/2022

Political Behaviour

Code: 101075 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500259 Political Science and Public Management OB 3 1
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Eva Anduiza Perea
Email:
Eva.Anduiza@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Teachers

Beatriz Elias Valverde

Prerequisites

Students should have acquired basic concepts of Political Science and Research Methods. They must be able read English texts and work with spreadsheets.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The course has three objectives:

- To know the basic elements that characterize political and electoral behaviour in democratic contexts

- To be able to use theories and variables that explain how citizens think and act in politics

- To know and be able to use the main methods and data available for the analysis of political behaviour

Competences

  • Analysing the behaviour of the political actors, both individually and collectively (parties, interest groups, social movements, etc.).
  • Analysing the electoral processes, including campaigns, parties' electoral strategies, political scenarios and analysis and interpretation of electoral results.
  • Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  • Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  • Demonstrating the comprehension of citizen behaviour and democratic values, particularly in internal or international concrete cases.
  • Designing data collection techniques, coordinating the information processing and meticulously applying hypothesis verification methods.
  • Explaining political, individual and collective attitudes and behaviours, as well as the education process and expression of political preferences.
  • Identifying and distinguishing the functioning of the electoral processes.
  • Identifying main actors of the political system, inspecting their interactions and assessing their behaviour in their environment and in the political system from a theoretical and practical perspective.
  • Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  • Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  • Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  • Managing the different theoretical contributions about actors and actor's networks, as well as the characteristics of collective action.
  • Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  • Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
  • Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  • Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  • Working autonomously.
  • Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
  • Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analysing the behaviour of the political actors, both individually and collectively (parties, interest groups, social movements, etc.).
  2. Analysing the electoral processes, including campaigns, parties' electoral strategies, political scenarios and analysis and interpretation of electoral results.
  3. Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  4. Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  5. Designing data collection techniques, coordinating the information processing and meticulously applying hypothesis verification methods.
  6. Explaining political, individual and collective attitudes and behaviours, as well as the education process and expression of political preferences.
  7. Identifying and distinguishing the functioning of the electoral processes.
  8. Identifying main actors of the political system, inspecting their interactions and assessing their behaviour in their environment and in the political system from a theoretical and practical perspective.
  9. Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  10. Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  11. Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  12. Managing the different theoretical contributions about actors and actor's networks, as well as the characteristics of collective action.
  13. Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  14. Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
  15. Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  16. Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  17. Working autonomously.
  18. Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
  19. Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.

Content

The course is structured in different types of sessions: theory, lab sessions, seminars and cases. Each session is assigned a compulsory reading and one or two additional optional readings, which should be done preferably before the corresponding class, indicated in the calendar. Compulsory readings are the basis for the preparation of the contents of the exam.

Theory
										
											These are sessions focused on conceptual and theoretical aspects. They are based on the teachers' explanation of aspects of the textbooks of the subject.
										
											- 1. Political participation. Type of participation. Who participates, how and why? Consequences of participation.
										
											- 2. Values and attitudes. Attitudes: origin, coherence and change. Values and political culture: origin, stability and change.
										
											- 3. Elections. Functions. Second-order elections Electoral indicators. Electoral change. Electoral campaigns.
										
											- 4. The explanation of the vote. Social position and vote: The sociological model and the Columbia school. The theory of cleavages. Class, religion, origin and vote.
										
											- 4. The explanation of the vote. Values, Ideology, and Voting: The Psychosocial Model and the Michigan School. Partisanship and voting. Ideology and vote.
										
											- 5. The explanation of the vote. Rational choice and voting: Rationality and voting. The spatial voting model. The economic vote.
										
											
										
											Seminars
										
											From a reading that must be prepared on the day of the class, we will work on how to structure and analyze a short research paper focusing on methodological aspects useful for the elaboration of your assignment: the questions, the theoretical framework, hypotheses, research design, and results.
										
											- S1. What support does the monarchy have?
										
											- S2. Do social networks polarize us?
										
											- S3. Who is protesting?
										
											- S4. Does voting make us happy?
										
											- S5. Second order elections
										
											- S5. Interpretation of graphs
Lab sessions
In the computer room, data on political behavior will be analyzed, operationalizing concepts and testing theoretical models.
										
											- P1. Surveys, inference, errors and sampling. Survey type. Survey experiments. Do surveys fail? The strengths and weaknesses of the surveys in the field of political behavior will be analyzed.
										
											- P2. Electoral indicators. Using the Excel program, the calculation of the electoral indicators explained during topic 3 of theory will be practiced.
										
											- P3. Explanation of vote. We will work with survey data to build a voting model based on different voting theories with the statistical program.
										
											
Cases
										
											Application of theoretical concepts and explanatory models to the analysis of specific aspects of current politics
										
											- C1. Gender and political behavior. The 8M. Causes and consequences of political protest. Identities, prejudices and biases. Resources and motivations. Mobilization and social networks. Attitudinal and electoral consequences.
										
											- C2. Populism. Conceptualize, measure and explain complex attitudes. Explanations: emotions, effectiveness, grievances. Consequences: voting and participation.
										
											- C3. To be defined (Covid, Elections in the world)
 

Methodology

Classroom sessions are divided into four types

-Theory classes where the professors present content. 

-Practical application of theory content either in the usual classroom (seminars). Each session revolves around a reading that will be discussed.

-Lab sessions with data analysis.  These sessions are the basis of the continuous evaluation and one of them is further developed into the final essay.

- Sessions where both theoretical and practical elements are used to analyze a specific case.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures and presentations 36 1.44 3, 4, 13, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16
Practical sessions and seminars 19 0.76 3, 11, 9, 14, 15, 18, 17, 19, 16
Type: Supervised      
Evaluation 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 8, 7, 14, 15, 17
Tutorials 15 0.6 3, 11, 8, 7, 14, 15, 17, 16
Type: Autonomous      
Compulsory readings and readings related to the practical sessions 30 1.2 8, 9, 7, 10, 15, 17
Study of the theory presented in class 30 1.2 1, 3, 11, 8, 7, 10, 15, 17, 16
Writing of practical exercices 15 0.6 11, 15, 18, 17, 19, 16

Assessment

Final exam (50%). The exam involves a test of 30 questions (30%) and a short essay commenting a table or graph (20%)

Exercise in the lab (30%). The result of the work during the class will be handed in. No late submissions will be accepted.

Final essay  (20%). The final essay will consist of the development of one of the practices or a research question related to the content of the subject. Details will be explained in class.

In accordance with article 117.2 of the UAB rules, students that are re-taking this course may be evaluated with a single exam. If you want to follow this kind of evaluation inform the professors at the beginning of the academic year.

To pass the course students need a minimum overall grade of 5/10, with a minimum grade of 4/10 in the exam.

Compensatory evaluation

Students will have the right to a compensatory evaluation only if the following conditions are met:

  • Having a grade of 3/10 or above on the exam test.
  • Having a grade of 5/10 or above in the lab exercises.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Classrom exercises 30% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 6, 13, 11, 8, 9, 7, 10, 14, 15, 18, 17, 19, 16
Final essay 20% 0 0 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 6, 11, 9, 10, 14, 15, 18, 17, 19, 16
Final exam 50% 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 6, 11, 8, 7, 14, 15

Bibliography

Compulsory readings

Anduiza Perea, E., & Bosch, A. (2004). Comportamiento político y electoral. Barcelona: Ariel.
Colombo, C., Galais, C., & Gallego, A. (2012). El uso de internet y las actitudes políticas: Datos cuantitativos y cualitativos de España. Arbor, 188(756), 751–766. https://doi.org/10.3989/arbor.2012.756n4009
Enrique Hernández, Margarita Torre & Antoni-Italo De Moragas (2021) The crown: a survey about the Spanish monarchy, Political Research Exchange, 3:1, DOI: 10.1080/2474736X.2021.1938149
Guinjoan, M. (2016). Per què fallen les enquestes? Eines 27, 71-80.
Mariano Torcal, Toni Rodon & María José Hierro (2016) Word on the Street: The Persistence of Leftist-dominated Protest in Europe, West European Politics, 39:2, 326-350, DOI: 10.1080/01402382.2015.1068525
Pallarés, Riba, Fraile (2007). Variables socioestructurales y comportamiento electoral en las elecciones generales españolas. Una perspectiva evolutiva 1979-2000. Revista de Estudios Políticos, 109-158.
Penadés, A. (2015). Especial encuestas: errores, cocina y predicción. In Zoom Político 25, 1-19.
Pérez Nievas, Bonet (2006). Identidades regionales y reivindicación de autogobierno. El etnorregionalismo en el voto a partidos nacionalistas de Bélgica, España y Reino Unido. Revista Española de Ciencia Política, 15 123-161
Reif, K., Schmitt, H. and NORRIS, P. (1997), Second-order elections. European Journal of Political Research, 31: 109-124. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6765.1997.tb00768.x
Sanders, D. (1995). Behavioral Analysis. In Theory and Methods in Political Science (pp. 23–41)
Ward, G. (2020). Happiness and Voting: Evidence from Four Decades of Elections in Europe. American Journal of Political Science 64(3): 504-518

General references

Arzheimer, K., Evans, J.,& Lewis-Beck, M. (2017). The Sage Handbook of Electoral Behaviour. London: Sage.
Dalton, R. J. (2014). Citizen Politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. Los Angeles: Sage CQ Press.
Dalton, R. J., & Klingemann, H.-D. (2007). Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Verge, T. (2014). “Comportamiento político”. En Ciencia Política con Perspectiva de Género. Madrid: Akal
Downs, A. 1992. “Una teoría económica de la democracia”. En Diez textos básicos de ciencia política. Ariel.

Additional readings

To go deeper into some questions or for the final essay.

Surveys and experiments

Anspach, N. M., Jennings, J. T., & Arceneaux, K. (2019). “A Little Bit of Knowledge: Facebook’s News Feed and Self-Perceptions of Knowledge”. Research & Politics, 6(1): 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053168018816189
Sniderman, Paul M. (2011): “The Logic and Design of the Survey Experiment. An Autobiography of a Methodological Innovation”, in Druckman et al. (editors), Cambridge Handbook of Experimental Political Science: 102-114. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Tormos, R. (2014). Aspectes metodològics de l’enquesta online amb experiments. Barcelona: Centre d’Estudis d’Opinió.

Participation

Dalton, R. J. (2014). Citizen Politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. Los Angeles: Sage CQ Press. Capítols 3 (political participation) i 4 (protest politics).
Armingeon, K., & Schädel, L. (2015). “Social Inequality in Political Participation: The Dark Sides of Individualisation”. West European Politics, 38(1): 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2014.929341
Font, J., Navarro, C., & Wojcieszak, M. (2012). Preferencias dela ciudadanía española sobre las formas de decisión política y sus factores explicativos. Madrid: Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas. Capítols 1 i 2.
Gallego, A., San, J., & Cristancho, C. (2010). “La movilización política: medición y relevancia”. Revista Española de Ciencia Política, 23: 113-124.
Klandermans, B., & van Stekelenburg, J. (2013). “The Social Psychology of Protest”. Current Sociology, 61(5-6): 886-905.
Rodon, T., & Guinjoan, M. (2018). “Mind the Protest Gap: The Role of Resources in the Face of Economic Hardship”. PS - Political Science and Politics, 51(1): 84-92.
Theocharis, Y., & Van Deth, J. W. (2018). “The Continuous Expansion of Citizen Participation: A New Taxonomy”. European Political Science Review, 10(1): 139-163.
Torcal, M., Rodon, T., & Hierro, M. J. (2016). “Word on the Street: The Persistence of Leftist-dominated Protest in Europe”. West European Politics, 39: 326-350.
Trujillo, M., & Gómez, B. (2016). Urnas vacias en los suburbios de las ciudades. Barcelona: Observatorio Social La Caixa

Attitudes

Dalton, R. J. (2014). Citizen Politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. Los Angeles: Sage CQ Press. Capítols 2 (mass beliefs) 5 (values in change), 6 (issues and ideological orientations) i 12 (citizens and democratic process)
Converse, P. E. (1964). “The Nature of Belief Systems in Mass Publics”. Critical Review, 18(1): 1-74.
Fernbach, P. M., Rogers, T., Fox, C. R., & Sloman, S. A. (2013). “Political Extremism Is Supported by an Illusion of Understanding”. Psychological Science, 24(6): 939-946. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612464058
Inglehart, R., & Welzel, C. (2005). Modernization, Cultural Change, and Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Capítol 1 (en castellano,publicado por el CIS)
Prior, M. (2018). Hooked. How Politics Captures People’s Interest. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Capítol 1.
Shively, W. P. (1979). “The Development of Party Identification among Adults: Exploration of a Functional Model”. The American Political Science Review, 73(4): 1039-1054.
Shorrocks, R. (2016). “A Feminist Generation? Cohort Change in Gender-Role Attitudes and The Second-Wave Feminist Movement”. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 30(1): 125-145.
Romero, X. (2018). “Una opinió pública termostàtica. L’efecte de les crisis econòmiques i l’acció governamental en les preferències de polítiques públiques a Catalunya”. Quaderns de l’ICPS, 1–9.
VVAA. (2015). Informe sobre la democracia en España 2015. Madrid: Fundación Alternativas. Capítol 2: “El descontento con el funcionamiento de la democracia en España”

Elections

Dalton, R. J. (2014). Citizen Politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. Los Angeles: Sage CQ Press. Capítol 7
Blais, A., & Anduiza, E. (2013). “Voter Turnout”. In R. Valelly (Ed.), Oxford Bibliographies in Political Science. Oxford: Oxford University Press DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199756223-0066
Iyengar, S., Sood, G., & Lelkes, Y. (2012). “Affect, Not Ideology”. Public Opinion Quarterly, 76(3): 405-431.
Medina, L. (2015). Les eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya del 27S. Polarització en clau identitària i divisió de l’electorat. Quaderns de l’ICPS, (11), 1–11. https://www.icps.cat/archivos/Quaderns/q11_cat.pdf
Nai, A. (2020). “Going Negative, Worldwide: Towards a General Understanding of Determinants and Targets of Negative Campaigning”. Government and Opposition, 55(3): 430-455. https://doi.org/10.1017/gov.2018.32
Westwood, S. J., Iyengar, S., Malhotra, N., Lelkes, Y., & Levendusky, M. (2018). The Origins and Consequences of Affective Polarization in the United States. Annual Review of Political Science, 22(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-051117-073034

Vote

Dalton, R. J. (2014). Citizen Politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. Los Angeles: Sage CQ Press. Capítols 8 (social bases of party support), 9 (partisanship and electoral behavior) i 10 (attitudes and electoral behavior)
Astudillo, J., & Rodon, T. (2013). “El comportamiento electoral del votante en la mediana y las «paradojas» de la competición política española / The Electoral Behaviour of the Median Voter and the ‘Paradoxes’ of Spanish Political Competition”. Revista Española de Investigaciones Sociológicas, 144: 3-21. https://doi.org/10.5477/cis/reis.144.3
Equipo Piedras de Papel. (2015). Aragón es nuestro Ohio: así votan los españoles. Barcelona: Malpaso. Capítols 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 i 10
Barberá, P. (2018). “Explaining the Spread of Misinformation on Social Media: Evidence from the 2016 US Presidential Election”. APSA Comparative Politics Newsletter, 1-5.
Carmines, E. G., & Stimson, J. A. (1980). “The Two Faces of Issue Voting”. The American Political Science Review, 74 (1): 78-91
Garzia, D. (2017). “Voter Evaluation of Candidates and Party Leaders”. In Arzheimer, K., Evans, J., and Lewis-Beck, M. (eds.). Sage Handbook of Electoral Behavior. London: Sage. 633-653.
Johnston, R. (2015). “Election Campaigns”. Sage Handbook of Electoral Behavior. London: Sage
Kinder, D. R., & Kiewiet, D. R. (1981). “Sociotropic Politics: The American Case”. British Journal of Political Science, 11(2): 129-161.
Pallarés, F., Riba, C., & Fraile, M. (2007).“Variables socioestructurales y comportamiento electoral en las elecciones generales españolas. Una perspectiva evolutiva 1979-2000”. Revista de Estudios Políticos, 135, 109–158.
Winter, N. J. G. (2018). Ambivalent Sexism and Election 2016. Unpublished

Software

Jamovi, Excel