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The Development of Party Identification among Adults: Exploration of a Functional Model

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  • Shively, W. Phillips

Abstract

This article proposes a model for the systematic development of adults' party identification, based on voters' need for a way to handle difficult electoral decisions. Several variables are noted which should heighten this need, thus making it more likely that voters will develop party identification. The model is partially tested, in an exploratory way, by analysis of panel data from the United States and Britain, and by cohort analysis of United States elections from 1952 to 1976. I develop the following implications of the model: (1) the “life-cycle” process by which party identification increases with age may be largely a function of difficulty in meeting information costs; (2) the process by which party identification, once it exists, becomes stronger appears to differ from the process by which voters move from independence to identification; (3) class-consciousness, in the presence of class parties, may obviate the need for direct identification with parties; (4) the American electorate appears increasingly to be one in which political change may occur regularly, rather than through the fitful process of realignment.

Suggested Citation

  • Shively, W. Phillips, 1979. "The Development of Party Identification among Adults: Exploration of a Functional Model," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 73(4), pages 1039-1054, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:73:y:1979:i:04:p:1039-1054_16
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    Cited by:

    1. Kroh, Martin, 2014. "Growth trajectories in the strength of party identification: The legacy of autocratic regimes," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 33, pages 90-101.
    2. Antonio Alaminos & Clemente Penalva, 2012. "The Cognitive Mobilization Index," SAGE Open, , vol. 2(1), pages 21582440124, January.
    3. Anderson, Brilé & Bernauer, Thomas & Kachi, Aya, 2017. "Towards a More Nuanced Understanding of How International Pooling of Authority May Affect the Perceived Legitimacy of Global Governance," Working papers 2017/16, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    4. Thomas Mustillo & John Polga-Hecimovich, 2020. "Party, candidate, and voter incentives under free list proportional representation," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 32(1), pages 143-167, January.
    5. Kroh, Martin, 2012. "Die abnehmende Bedeutung des Elternhauses: Intergenerationale Übertragung von Parteibindungen in Deutschland 1984 bis 2010," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 203-226.
    6. Ngoc Phan & John A. Garcia, 2009. "Asian‐Pacific‐American Partisanship: Dynamics of Partisan and Nonpartisan Identities," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 90(4), pages 886-910, December.

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