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Contribution Details
| Type | Journal Article |
| Scope | Discipline-based scholarship |
| Title | The impact of incidental environmental factors on vote choice: Wind speed is related to more prevention-focused voting |
| Organization Unit | |
| Authors |
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| Item Subtype | Original Work |
| Refereed | Yes |
| Status | Published electronically before print/final form (Epub ahead of print) |
| Language |
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| Journal Title | Political Behavior |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Geographical Reach | international |
| ISSN | 0190-9320 |
| Page Range | Epub ahead of print |
| Date | 2023 |
| Abstract Text | How might irrelevant events infiltrate voting decisions? The current research introduces a new mechanism - regulatory focus—by which incidental environmental factors can affect vote choice. Regulatory focus theory proposes that there are two fundamental psychological orientations in how people navigate their worlds: A prevention focus tunes cognition towards security, safety, protection, and risk aversion, whereas a promotion focus orients attention toward achieving growth and positive outcomes. We present a model for how wind speed on Election Day affects voting by shifting the regulatory focus of voters. We propose that increased wind speed shifts voters toward selecting prevention-focused options (e.g., restricting immigration, rejecting Brexit, rejecting Scottish Independence) over promotion-focused options (e.g., promoting immigration, favoring Brexit, favoring Scottish Independence). We further argue that wind speed only affects voting when an election clearly offers a choice between prevention and promotion-focused options. Using a mixed-method approach—archival analyses of the “Brexit” vote, the Scotland independence referendum, and 10 years of Swiss referendums, as well as one field study and one experiment - we find that individuals exposed to higher wind speeds become more prevention-focused and more likely to support prevention-focused electoral options. The findings highlight the political importance of incidental environmental factors. Practically, they speak to the benefit of absentee voting and expanding voting periods beyond traditional election days. |
| Free access at | DOI |
| Digital Object Identifier | 10.1007/s11109-023-09865-y |
| Other Identification Number | merlin-id:23386 |
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| Keywords | Voting, Environment, Wind, Decision-making, Regulatory focus theory |