This paper investigates whether the choice of verbs as response options in political referendums can introduce bias. Using the 1975 and 2016 UK EU membership referendums as case studies (yes/no vs. remain/leave), the authors employed Implicit Association Tests (IATs) to examine the evaluative associations of 'stay,' 'remain,' and 'leave.' Results suggest that 'stay' holds a more positive connotation than 'remain,' which in turn is more positive than 'leave.' This highlights the potential influence of seemingly minor linguistic choices on voting behavior and raises questions about the suitability of verbs as response options in future referendums.
Publisher
HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS
Published On
Nov 30, 2023
Authors
Liane Ströbel, Iring Koch, Torsten-Oliver Salge, David Antons
Tags
political referendums
language bias
voting behavior
implicit associations
linguistic choices
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