The power of partisanship in Brazil: evidence from survey experiments

To what extent do party labels influence individuals’ policy positions? Much research has examined this question in the US, where party identification can generate both in-group and out-group pressures to conform to a party's position. However, relatively little research has considered the question's comparative generalizability. We explore the impact of party labels on attitudes in Brazil, a relatively new democracy with a fragmented party system. In such an environment, do parties function as in-groups, out-groups --- or neither? We answer this question through two survey experiments, one conducted on a nationally-representative sample and another on a convenience sample recruited via Facebook. We find that both in- and out-group cues shape the opinions of identifiers of Brazil’s two main parties, but that cues have no effect on non-partisans. Results suggest that party identification can structure attitudes and behavior even in ``party-averse'' environments.

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