Authors: Patrizia Catellani Patrizia Milesi Augusta Isabella Alberici
Publish Date: 2013/12/05
Volume: 33, Issue: 1, Pages: 47-63
Abstract
Previous research has shown that counterfactual thinking “if only…” is related to event explanation blame assignment and future decisions Using data from a largescale electoral panel survey ITANES we investigated the association between preelection counterfactual thoughts on the national economy and subsequent voting choice Results revealed that voters focused counterfactuals on the government and other political or economic actors but also and more frequently on unspecified or reified actors Whereas counterfactuals focused on the government were associated with voting for the challenger counterfactuals focused on political or economic actors or on reified actors were associated with voting for the incumbent These associations were even stronger when counterfactuals had a subtractive “if only X had not…” rather than an additive “if only X had…” structure The inclusion of the targets of the counterfactuals added significantly to the predictive value of a model of voting choice based on voters’ evaluation of the national economy
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