Balance Theory and Political Cognitions

The CPS 1972-1976 panel is employed to test numerous principles of balance theory on Americans' political cognitions. Evidential support is found for Heider's original formulation of balance theory pertaining to dichotomous variables comprising a triad and extensions of this theory to structures of more than three cognitions, and variables measured at the interval level. Political reality effects, rational policy evaluation processes, and alternative psychological perspectives cannot adequately explain our data patterns. Other findings are: people attain balance in diverse ways by changing any of their cognitions; the more politically sophisticated are more affected by balance processes; balance theory has implications for the vote decision. The implications of the study for the nature of American democracy are also addressed.

[1]  F. Heider.  Attitudes and cognitive organization. , 1946, The Journal of psychology.

[2]  F. Harary,et al.  STRUCTURAL BALANCE: A GENERALIZATION OF HEIDER'S THEORY1 , 1977 .

[3]  S. H. Davol,et al.  An empirical test of structural balance in sociometric triads. , 1959, Journal of abnormal and social psychology.

[4]  P. Converse,et al.  The American voter , 1960 .

[5]  Angus Campbell,et al.  The American voter , 1960 .

[6]  R. Sigel.  EFFECT OF PARTISANSHIP ON THE PERCEPTION OF POLITICAL CANDIDATES , 1964 .

[7]  A. Rodrigues.  On the differential effects of some parameters of balance. , 1965, The Journal of psychology.

[8]  W. Wiest,et al.  A quantitative extension of Heider's theory of cognitive balance applied to interpersonal perception and self-esteem. , 1965, Psychological monographs.

[9]  Norman,et al.  Structural Models: An Introduction to the Theory of Directed Graphs. , 1966 .

[10]  B. A. Farbey,et al.  Structural Models: An Introduction to the Theory of Directed Graphs , 1966 .

[11]  N. Jordan.  ON COGNITIVE BALANCE. , 1966 .

[12]  John W. Kingdon.  Politicians' Beliefs about Voters , 1967, American Political Science Review.

[13]  E. Burnstein,et al.  Sources of cognitive bias in the representation of simple social structures: balance, minimal change, positivity, reciprocity, and the respondent's own attitude. , 1967, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[14]  A Rodrigues,et al.  Effects of balance, positivity, and agreement in triadic social relations. , 1967, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[15]  Aroldo Rodrígues.  The biasing effect of agreement in balanced and imbalanced triads1 , 1968 .

[16]  POLITICAL ATTITUDE STRUCTURE AND COMPONENT CHANGE , 1970 .

[17]  D. Sherrod.  SELECTIVE PERCEPTION OF POLITICAL CANDIDATES , 1971 .

[18]  R. E. Knox,et al.  Balance, agreement, and attraction in pleasantness, tension, and consistency ratings of hypothetical social situations. , 1972 .

[19]  Richard A. Brody,et al.  Policy Voting and the Electoral Process: The Vietnam War Issue , 1972, American Political Science Review.

[20]  D. Granberg,et al.  Dove-hawk placements in the 1968 election: Application of social judgment and balance theories. , 1974 .

[21]  Gerald M. Pomper,et al.  Voters' choice: Varieties of American electoral behavior , 1975 .

[22]  C. Hofstetter.  Bias in the news: Network television coverage of the 1972 election campaign , 1976 .

[23]  Norman H. Nie,et al.  The Changing American Voter. , 1976 .

[24]  James A. Stimson.  Public Support for American Presidents A Cyclical Model , 1976 .

[25]  M. King.  Assimilation and Contrast of Presidential Candidates'Issue Positions, 1972 , 1977 .

[26]  A. Abramowitz.  The Impact of a Presidential Debate on Voter Rationality , 1978 .

[27]  D. Kinder,et al.  Political person perception: The asymmetrical influence of sentiment and choice on perceptions of presidential candidates. , 1978 .

[28]  George C. Edwards.  Presidential influence in Congress , 1980 .