Political Science

To stay, remain or leave: how verbal concepts as response options in political referendums such as the Brexit polls might bias voting outcomes

L. Ströbel, I. Koch, et al.

This intriguing study by Liane Ströbel, Iring Koch, Torsten-Oliver Salge, and David Antons dives into how the verb choices in political referendums might shape voter sentiment. By analyzing the UK EU membership referendums of 1975 and 2016, the authors reveal that even subtle differences in language can bias outcomes. Discover how the words 'stay,' 'remain,' and 'leave' influence our decisions!

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Playback language: English

Index

Abstract

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

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