title: Motivating voter turnout by invoking the self.
abstract: Three randomized experiments found that subtle linguistic cues have the power to increase voting and related behavior. The phrasing of survey items was varied to frame voting either as the enactment of a personal identity (e.g., "being a voter") or as simply a behavior (e.g., "voting"). As predicted, the personal-identity phrasing significantly increased interest in registering to vote (experiment 1) and, in two statewide elections in the United States, voter turnout as assessed by official state records (experiments 2 and 3). These results provide evidence that people are continually managing their self-concepts, seeking to assume or affirm valued personal identities. The results further demonstrate how this process can be channeled to motivate important socially relevant behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. cbryan@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: Gregory M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Carol S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Dweck
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D009042:Motivation; D011057:Politics; D012649:Self Concept; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires