Mood and moderation: Alternative images of Senate reelection seeking behavior
Segura, Gary Michael
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Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/21864
Description
Title
Mood and moderation: Alternative images of Senate reelection seeking behavior
Author(s)
Segura, Gary Michael
Issue Date
1992
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Kuklinski, James H.
Department of Study
Political Science
Discipline
Political Science
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Political Science, General
Language
eng
Abstract
Representation requires a degree of responsiveness on the part of legislators to voter preferences. This effort examines a model of responsiveness built on an ideological voter-senator linkage and implicitly confined to only the last stage of each senator's term and finds it wanting. Given cognitive limitations of the voters and behavioral constraints on senators' behavior, responsiveness based on ideology, and confined only to the period immediately preceding the next election, is unlikely to be electorally rewarding. An alternative model is proposed, one that does not make unreasonable assumptions regarding the abilities and interests of the voters and does not confine responsiveness to the cycles of election. Instead, public mood change is offered as the primary tool of communication between legislator and voter. Cues drawn from changing public attitudes are used by senators to reevaluate behavior and adapt to anticipated voter preferences. This responsiveness is not confined to the waning years of the term but, rather, is pervasive, affecting behavior in every year of the senator's tenure.
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