Story incentive: The effect of national stories on voter turnout

Shaul R. Shenhav; Tamir Sheafer; Alon Zoizner; Anita Van Hoof; Jan Kleinnijenhuis; Yael Rivkah Kaplan; David Nicolas Hopmann

doi:10.1017/S1755773920000399

Story incentive: The effect of national stories on voter turnout

Shaul R. Shenhav, Tamir Sheafer, Alon Zoizner, Anita Van Hoof, Jan Kleinnijenhuis, Yael Rivkah Kaplan, David Nicolas Hopmann

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This article contends that an important driver of turnout is the national stories embraced by citizens. We suggest the notion of 'story incentive,' whereby adopting a group's story components-those that connect the past, the future, and prominent national characters-motivates individuals to participate in that group's political activities. Leaning on narrative theories and studies on voter turnout, we develop and test hypotheses regarding the effect of story components on the likelihood of voting. Our measurements of story incentives are based on election surveys and encompass Denmark, Israel, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. The results support the main story-incentive hypothesis. We discuss the theoretical ramifications of the connection between adherence to national stories and voter turnout.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	249-264
Number of pages	16
Journal	European Political Science Review
Volume	13
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755773920000399
State	Published - May 2021
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
©

Keywords

narrative theory
national stories
turnout
voting behavior

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Sociology and Political Science
Political Science and International Relations

Access to Document

10.1017/S1755773920000399

Cite this

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AU - Kleinnijenhuis, Jan

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AU - Hopmann, David Nicolas

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Story incentive: The effect of national stories on voter turnout

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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