Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Social identity and voting behavior

  • Published:
Public Choice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper uses the unique social structure of Arab communities to examine the effect of social identity on voter turnout. We first show that voters are more likely to vote for a candidate who shares their social group (signified by last name) as compared to other candidates. Using last name as a measure of group affiliation, an inverted U-shaped relationship between group size and voter turnout has been found (borderline significant) which is consistent with theoretical models that reconcile the paradox of voting by incorporating group behavior.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Haj, M. (1988). The changing Arab kinship structure: The effect of modernization in an urban community. Economic Development and Cultural Change, 36(2), 237–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aldrich, J. (1993). Rational choice and turnout. American Journal of Political Science, 37(1), 246–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashworth, J., Geys, B., & Heyndels, B. (2006). Everyone likes a winner: An empirical test of the effect of electoral closeness on turnout in a context of expressive voting. Public Choice, 128, 383–405.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Bassat, A., & Dahan, M. (2008). Social identity and voter turnout. CESifo, Working paper No. 2331.

  • Blais, A. (2000). To vote or not to vote: The merits and limits of rational choice theory. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bufacchi, V. (2001). Voting, rationality and reputation. Political Studies, 49(4), 714–729.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coate, S., & Conlin, M. (2004). A group rule-utilitarian approach to voter turnout: Theory and evidence. American Economic Review, 94(5), 1476–1504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, A. (1965). Arab border-villages in Israel. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edlin, A., Gelman, A., & Kaplan, N. (2007). Voting as a rational choice: Why and how people vote to improve the well-being of others. Rationality and Society, 19(1), 5–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feddersen, T., & Sandroni, A. (2006). A theory of participation in elections. American Economic Review, 96(4), 1271–1282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Filer, J. E., Kenny, L. W., & Morton, R. B. (1993). Redistribution, income, and voting. American Journal of Political Science, 37(1), 63–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, J. H., & Kam, C. D. (2007). Beyond the self: Social identity, altruism, and political participation. The Journal of Politics, 69(3), 813–827.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geys, B. (2006). ‘Rational’ theories of voter turnout: A review. Political Studies Review, 4, 16–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, G. (2001). The changes in the behavior of Israeli voter in local elections. In E. Daniel & C. Klchheim (Eds.), Local government in Israel. Jerusalem: Center for Public Policy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Großer, J., & Schram, A. (2006). Neighborhood information exchange and voter participation: An experimental study. American Political Science Review, 100(2), 235–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grossman, G., & Helpman, E. (2001). Special interest politics. Cambridge: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harsani, J. C. (1980). Rule utilitarianism, rights, obligations and the theory of rational behavior. Theory and Decision, 12(2), 115–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huddy, L. (2003). Group identity and political cohesion. In D. O. Sears, L. Huddy, & R. Jervis (Eds.), Oxford handbook of political psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jankowski, R. (2002). Buying a lottery ticket to help the poor: Altruism, civic duty and self-interest in the decision to vote. Rationality and Society, 14(1), 55–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jankowski, R. (2007). Altruism and decision to vote: Explaining and testing high voter turnout. Rationality and Society, 19(1), 5–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landau, Y. (1993). The Arab minority in Israel, 1967–1991: Political dimensions. Am Oved: Eshkol/Hebrew University.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lapp, M. (1999). Incorporating groups into rational choice explanations of turnout: An empirical test. Public Choice, 98, 171–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsusaka, J. G., & Palda, F. (1993). The Downsian voter meets the ecological fallacy. Public Choice, 77, 855–878.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morlan, R. L. (1984). Municipal vs. national election voter turnout: Europe and the United States. Political Science Quarterly, 99(3), 457–470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morton, R. B. (1991). Groups in rational turnout models. American Journal of Political Science, 35(3), 758–776.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozacky-Lazar, S. (2005). 2003 local election in Arab municipalities—An overview. In E. Rekhess & S. Ozacky-Lazar (Eds.), Local elections in Arab and Druze municipalities (2003): Hamulote, ethnic groups and political parties. Tel-Aviv: Tel-Aviv University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reingewertz, Y. (2009). The political economy of local government crisis in Israel. In A. Ben-Bassat & M. Dahan (Eds.), The political economics of local government in Israel. Jarusalem: Israel Democracy Institute Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riker, W. H., & Ordeshook, P. C. (1968). A theory of the calculus of voting. The American Political Science Review, 62(1), 25–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenfeld, H. (1974). Hamula. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 1(2), 43–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schram, A. (1991). Voting behavior in comparative perspective. Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schram, A., & Sonnemans, J. (1996). Why people vote: Experimental evidence. Journal of Economic Psychology, 17, 417–442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schram, A., & Van Winden, F. (1991). Why people vote: Free riding and the production and consumption of social pressure. Journal of Economic Psychology, 12, 575–620.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, T. (1987). Your vote counts on account of the way it is counted: An institutional solution to the paradox of not voting. Public Choice, 54, 101–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shachar, R., & Nalebuff, B. (1999). Follow the leader: Theory and evidence on political participation. American Economic Review, 89, 525–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shamir, M., & Arian, A. (1999). Collective identity and electoral competition in Israel. American Political Science Review, 93(2), 265–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shavit, Y., & Pierce, J. (1991). Sibship size and educational attainment in nuclear and extended families: Arabs and Jews in Israel. American Sociological Review, 56(3), 321–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stacklov, O. (2008). On the effectiveness of central government control on fiscal performance of local government in Israel. Mimeo.

  • Tajfel, H. (1981). Human groups and social categories. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uhlaner, C. J. (1989). Rational turnout: The neglected role of groups. American Journal of Political Science, 33(2), 390–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

    Avi Ben-Bassat

  2. Israel Democracy Institute, Jerusalem, Israel

    Avi Ben-Bassat & Momi Dahan

  3. School of Public Policy, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

    Momi Dahan

Authors
  1. Avi Ben-Bassat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Momi Dahan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Momi Dahan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ben-Bassat, A., Dahan, M. Social identity and voting behavior. Public Choice 151, 193–214 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-010-9742-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-010-9742-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation