Factors which influence voting behaviour including class, age and media Flashcards
Do most people make a random choice when voting?
No, voting is influenced by various factors before election day
What might influence someone to vote SNP?
Support for Scottish independence
What are the two main types of voting influences?
Long-term and short-term factors
What is political socialisation?
Lifelong process where political views are shaped, often before political awareness
What type of factor is political socialisation?
Long-term
What is an example of political socialisation?
Growing up in a Conservative-voting family makes someone more likely to vote Conservative
What are short-term factors?
Influences that affect voters at a specific moment
What is an example of a short-term factor?
Blair’s decision to support the Iraq War in 2003
What impact did the Iraq War have on Labour voters?
Some switched away from Labour in the 2005 election
Is social class a long-term or short-term factor?
Long-term
Is gender a long-term or short-term factor?
Long-term
Is age a long-term or short-term factor?
Long-term
Is ethnicity a long-term or short-term factor?
Long-term
Is regional voting a long-term or short-term factor?
Long-term
Is leadership and image a long-term or short-term factor?
Short-term
Is the media a long-term or short-term factor?
Short-term
Is issue voting a long-term or short-term factor?
Short-term
Is tactical voting a long-term or short-term factor?
Short-term
What is a committed voter?
Someone who votes the same way in most elections
What is a floating voter?
A voter who is not committed to one party
What does increased electoral volatility mean?
More voters switching parties between elections
What is an apathetic voter?
Someone who chooses not to vote
What was UK turnout in the 2019 election?
67.3%
What was UK turnout in the 2024 election?
60%
What does it mean that the UK is a stratified society?
Society is divided into categories based on identity
What is class identity traditionally based on?
Economic means or employment category
What are the main social classes in the UK?
Working class, middle class, upper class
What are the class groups ABC1 and C2DE based on?
ABC1 = middle/upper class; C2DE = working/lower class
Which party do ABC1 voters traditionally support?
Conservatives
Which party do C2 and DE voters traditionally support?
Labour
What voting trend existed in 1974?
Middle class voted Conservative; working class voted Labour
Why did upper classes support Conservatives?
Conservatives supported low taxes and free markets
Why did working classes support Labour?
Labour supported welfare and state ownership
What did Labour traditionally stand for?
Redistribution of wealth and socialist policies
What did Conservatives traditionally stand for?
Free markets and less state interference
What is partisanship?
Strong loyalty to a political party
What is distinctive party identification often compared to?
Attachment to a football team
Who did CDE classes mostly vote for in 2017?
Labour (47%)
Who did AB classes mostly vote for in 2017?
Conservatives (47%)
What changed in 2024 with AB class voters?
Labour outperformed Conservatives with 36%
Who did better across all classes in 2024?
Labour
What is the trend in class voting since the 1970s?
Decline in class-based voting
What is dealignment?
Decline in voting based on social class
What caused dealignment?
Decline of heavy industry and rise in higher education; fewer strong party supporters since the 1960s; rise of credible third parties like Lib Dems and SNP
What vote share did Lib Dems get in 2010?
24%
What did SNP achieve in 2015?
Won 56 out of 59 Scottish seats
Why have third parties grown in support?
Labour/Conservatives became ‘catch-all’ parties
What is a ‘catch all’ party?
A party appealing across all social classes
What is a middle-class radical?
A well-off person voting Labour for ethical reasons
What is a working-class Conservative?
A poorer person voting Conservative due to aspiration or values
Has social class stopped influencing votes?
No, but other factors are now more influential
What influences modern voters more than class?
Leadership, media, and short-term issues
What has happened to the traditional working class?
Shrunk and lost automatic loyalty to Labour
What are modern middle classes more likely to do?
Switch their vote
Who tends to vote Conservative in southern England?
Manual/unskilled workers
Who tends to vote Labour in the north of England?
Professionals/managers
Is class still important in voting?
Yes, but its influence is more complex
What shapes modern voting behaviour?
A mix of class, values, media, leaders, and third-party options
What is required by law of broadcast media during elections?
They must be impartial
What percentage of people got political news from TV in 2024?
58%
How many people got political news from newspapers in 2024?
14%
How many people got political news from social media in 2024?
43%
What does broadcast media provide during elections?
A wide range of viewpoints to help voters decide
How do televised debates influence voting?
They show candidates under pressure and help voters judge them
What did the Oxford University study find about TV debates?
35% of viewers said debates helped them decide their vote
What is one argument against broadcast media influence?
Most people have already made up their minds before campaigns
What percent of people said TV helped them decide who to vote for in 2024?
About 20%
What does Agenda Setting Theory suggest about media?
Media shape public opinion by focusing on specific issues
What does Reflection Theory suggest about media?
Media reflect the views of their audience
Why might the media follow public opinion?
To increase readership or viewership
What is the main form of print media?
Newspapers
Is the print media required to be impartial?
No
How can newspapers influence voting?
Through endorsements and biased reporting
Which paper supported the winning party in 2024?
The Sun supported Labour
Why might the influence of print media be overstated?
Newspapers may just reflect readers’ views
When did The Sun endorse Labour in 2024?
The day before the election
What does the late endorsement by The Sun suggest?
It likely had little impact on the result
How many get political news from newspaper websites or apps?
42%
How many get political news from printed newspapers?
14%
What media source surpassed print for the first time in 2024?
Social media
Why is TV still influential despite other media?
It’s still the most trusted and widely used source
Why might TV debates be influential?
They let voters assess candidates’ performance directly
What percentage of young voters said social media influenced their vote in 2024?
72%
What does this make social media for young voters?
The most important influence on their vote
Why is social media called ‘new media’?
Because it’s a recent development compared to traditional media
Name 4 social media platforms used by political parties.
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
Why is social media a key battleground for political parties?
It gives access to more voters than ever before
What is fake news?
False or misleading information presented as factual news
Why is fake news created?
For propaganda, money, or attention
What is microtargeting?
Using online data to target specific voter groups with tailored messages
What kind of voters are targeted with microtargeting?
Floating/undecided voters
How can parties use data from social media?
To see what ads work and which issues matter to different voters
How does social media allow interaction between voters and parties?
Voters can follow, message, and donate to parties online
Why does microtargeting influence voting?
It tailors messages to individual interests, increasing persuasion
What does spending over £1 million on polling day ads in 2024 show?
Parties view online ads as crucial to influencing voters
Why might social media not influence voting behaviour?
Many users exist in echo chambers
What is an echo chamber?
When people only follow views they already agree with
Why do echo chambers weaken social media’s influence?
Messages don’t reach undecided or opposing voters
What party had the most interactions on social media in 2024?
Reform
How many MPs did Reform win in 2024?
5 MPs
What does Reform’s result suggest about social media?
Interactions don’t always translate to votes
What age group is more likely to vote Labour?
Young people
What age group is more likely to vote Conservative?
Older people
Why do younger people tend to vote Labour?
They support policies like equality and free education
Why do older people tend to vote Conservative?
They support policies like lower taxes and have more wealth
What percent of under 25s supported Labour in 2024?
41%
What percent of under 25s supported Conservatives in 2024?
8%
What does the age-party support gap suggest?
Age is a very influential factor in voting behaviour
Why is Labour targeting young voters?
They’d benefit from higher turnout among youth
What was the turnout in constituencies with over 25% aged 25-34 in 2024?
35%
What was the turnout in areas with only 10% aged 25-34?
59%
What does this turnout gap show?
Older people are more likely to vote
Why are older people more likely to vote?
More stability, experience, and political engagement
Why do fewer young people vote?
Life instability and less political experience
Why does age not always influence election results?
Younger people are less likely to vote
What was Labour’s worst result since 1935?
The 2019 General Election
How many seats did Labour win in 1997?
418
