How political leaders shape public opinion

PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s use of Twitter has sparked much controversy among political commentators. Many regard the habit as reckless. Others believe that worrying about it is largely a distraction. But what is the effect of the president’s tweets on domestic politics? There are limits to the power of politicians’ statements to shift behaviour. However, as partisanship grows, committed members of political parties seem increasingly inclined to change their attitudes to match those of their parties’ leaders. 

Research suggests that partisanship trumps other factors when people form political opinions. James Druckman, a political scientist from Northwestern University, looked with his colleagues at the comparative effect of substantive information and party endorsement on what to do with undocumented Americans who had arrived in the country as children. Substantive information changed both Democrats’ and Republicans’ opinions on the issue—some to more and some to less sympathetic positions—as long as they did not know their...Continue reading

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