The Psychology of Micro-Targeted Election Campaigns

by Jens Koed Madsen

Overview

This book examines the psychology behind micro-targeted tactics used in election campaigning and the advent of increasingly sophisticated dynamic Agent-Based Models (ABMs). It discusses individual profiling, how data and modelling are deployed to enhance the effectiveness of persuasion and mobilization efforts in campaigns, and the potential limitations of these approaches. Madsen particularly explores how psychological insight and personal data are used to generate individualised models of voters and how these in turn are applied to optimise persuasion strategies tailored to a specific person.

Finally, the book considers the broader democratic dilemmas raised by the introduction of these tactics into politics and the critical civic importance of understanding how these campaigns function.This timely work offers fresh insights for students and scholars of political psychology, philosophy, political marketing, media, and communications.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030221447
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	09/26/2019
Edition description:	1st ed. 2019
Pages:	395
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jens Koed Madsen is a senior research assistant at the University of Oxford, UK, a fellow of the Oxford Martin School, The Institute of New Economic Thinking and an associate of St. Catherine’s College. His work focuses on the psychology of persuasion, belief revision, decision-making, and models of complex human-environment models.

Table of Contents

Introduction.- 1. Approaching Persuasion.- 2. Subjective rationality.- 3. Source credibility.- 4. From belief to behaviour.- 5. Voter relevance and campaign phases.- 6. Psychometrics, model generation, and data.- 7. Micro-target campaign management.- 8. Negative campaigning and attack ads.- 9. Modelling complex systems.- 10. From analytic to dynamic micro-target models.- 11. State of play.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“An insightful survey of what light the cognitive and behavioural sciences can shed on the murky world of targeted political persuasion.” (Nick Chater, Professor of Behavioural Science, Warwick Business School, author of The Mind is Flat)

“A tour de force across the landscape of cognitive science and political science that explains how modern technology can enable political operatives to manipulate voters and influence elections to an unprecedented—and concerning—extent.” (Prof. Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Bristol)

“Madsen makes an essential contribution in lifting the curtain on both the potency and dangers of micro-targeting in politics. It is an insightful and enjoyable analysis of a timely issue that places our data into temptation for those seeking political power.” (Dr. Toby Pilditch, University of Oxford and University College London)