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The Psychology of Micro-Targeted Election Campaigns

  • Book
  • © 2019

Overview

Authors:
  1. Jens Koed Madsen

    1. Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

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  • Offers insight into the largely unknown tactics of election campaigning
  • Presents the psychological foundation for the potential success and limitations of Micro-Targeted Campaigns
  • Advocates regulation and oversight in campaign spending

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xix
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  2. Introduction

    • Jens Koed Madsen
    Pages 1-19

  3. Subjective Beliefs and Behaviour

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 21-21
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    2. Approaching Persuasion

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 23-58

    3. Subjective Reasoning

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 59-102

    4. Source Credibility

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 103-133

    5. From Belief to Behaviour

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 135-160

  4. Modelling Individual Voters

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 161-161
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    2. Voter Relevance and Campaign Phases

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 163-185

    3. Psychometrics, Model Generation, and Data

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 187-217

    4. Micro-targeted Campaign Management

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 219-241

    5. Negative Campaigning and Attack Ads

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 243-262

  5. From Analytic to Dynamic Models

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 263-263
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    2. Modelling Complex Systems

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 265-289

    3. From Analytic to Dynamic Micro-targeted Campaign Models

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 291-321

    4. The State of Play

      • Jens Koed Madsen
      Pages 323-346

  6. Back Matter

    Pages 347-395
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Keywords

About this book

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.

Reviews

“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)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Jens Koed Madsen

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.

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