Campaign Advertising
Ads that provide a biographical message and present the candidate as a likeable human and someone who would be well suited for office
Image ads
Firmly holding the wrong information
Being misinformed
Coverage of campaigns that focuses on predictions about who will win and who is leading in the polls
horse-race coverage
The divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes
Political polarization
These are not used to control messaging because they are viewed as being less credible than the media
Campaign Ads
Ads that are more substantive and focus on past experience dealing with specific issues or policy positions and plans
Issue ads
Issues that are the most difficult to correct because there are implications for an individual’s world view
(issues people have strong, emotional opinions about)
Candidates should avoid doing this on issues, which can bring negative media coverage
Flip-Flopping
Party ID becoming aligned with ideological positions on issues and partisan identities becoming tied to social identities
Partisan Sorting
Explained by media distrust, a nationalized news environment, and social media
Polarization
Ads that discuss issues that are designed to pit groups against each other and tap into voter’s sense of identity with one political party
Wedge appeals
These types of information are different in content and psychology
Rumors and Conspiracies
In general presidential elections receive about as much coverage as these two other topics
Foreign affairs and crime
Increasing out-group dislike
Affective Polarization
This type of coverage has changed to candidates we get in elections
TV Coverage
Ads that can be personal or policy based. Often released to generate media attention or to respond to the opposing candidate.
Most likely to be successful when it is provided soon after the misinformation
Corrections to misinformation
For example:
Avoiding behaving in ways that call into question suitability for office
Setting low expectations with journalists for chances of winning
Scheduling events to maximize newsworthiness
Feeding the press interesting and critical information about the opponent
strategies used by campaigns to manage the press
Polarizes both those who choose to watch it and those who would prefer to avoid it.
Partisan news
Leads to less information about community issues, actions by local officials, and performance of local officials
Nationalized news environment
Reporting that they dislike them, but not disliking them in practice.
People's responses to negative ads
Hard to automate and requires fact checking to be available instantly
Problems with correcting misinformation online
This is done by focusing voters' attention on specific issues and individuals involved in the campaign, encouraging turnout, and influencing the decisions of those who pay attention to the media and are ambivalent about the candidates
Campaign coverage influencing an election
The most polarized. Reinforces differences between the parties to voters
Elites/Elite Polarization
For example:
Targeting voters in competitive states or regions
Taking advantage of issue ownership
Connecting advertising to issues in the headlines
Campaign advertising strategies