VOTER PSYCHOLOGY VOICE : NOTES PRECIS

A new study bolsters the case that moral values underlie voters' choices :

UNDERSTANDING HOW VOTERS choose a candidate is a fundamental topic in political science.

In an ideal democracy, voters would study policy manifestos and pick the slate that most closely matches their views. Reality, however, is messier.

One long-standing explanation of voters' behaviour is that they support candidates who represent or advocate for the interests of their social groups - often defined on the basis of age, class, ethnicity or gender.

A more recent school of thought, called '' moral foundations theory '', posits that a few broad philosophical values, such as the importance of fairness or authority, shape peoples' political preferences.

Such principles are harder to measure than demographic data. In the past, proponents of this interpretation have had to rely on surveys, which may not accurately reflect respondents' true beliefs or voting records.

The World Students Society thanks The Economist.