2006 Conference Program - Midwest Political Science Association

22-15 PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL (Co-sponsoredwith Presidency and Executive Politics, see 33-14)RoomChairPaperPaperPaperPaperPaperDisc.TBA, Sat 8:30 amGregory E. McAvoy, University of North Carolina,GreensboroThe Role of the Media on Early Assessments of PresidentialPerformance: An Informational Approach to PresidentialHoneymoonsLaura K. Frey, University of California, Santa BarbaraOverview: This project specifies a model that reflects microlevel processes to explain the surge and decline in approval.This project relies on nightly news coverage to test the effect ofthe media and its impact on presidential approval ratings.Polarized Opinion in the States: Partisan Differences inApproval Ratings of Governors, Senators, and George W.BushGary C. Jacobson, University of California, San DiegoOverview: A new set of multiple, state-level surveys is used toexamine the sources of variation across states and offices in themagnitude of partisan differences in the job approval ratings ofthe president, each of the senators, and the governor.Presidential Approval: Comparing Rivals and TestingHeterogeneity, 1978-2005R. Christopher Rodgers, University of Texas, DallasOverview: The paper assesses rival presidential approvalspecifications and compares political economic models usingmonthly data for 1978-2005. Time series analyses emphasizeheterogeneity across gender, class, education, and age whilehighlighting Bush II.Presidential Persona and Presidential Approval: The"Untold" StoryMark A. Roeder, University of CincinnatiOverview: This study examines how perception of presidentialpersona, including affective and cognitive components, explainspresidential approval. I link micro and macro-level findings bycomparing change in approval with change in perception ofpersona.Policy-Related Sources of Presidential Aproval: Why DoVoters Disagree?Merrill Shanks, University of California, BerkeleyDouglas Strand, Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaEdward Carmines, Indiana University, BloomingtonHenry Brady, University of California, BerkeleyOverview: This paper extends the authors' previous researchon the role of policy-related conflicts and other factors in voters'choices for President by carrying out the same types of analysesfor votersÆ evaluations of the President's "performance" inoffice.Robert S. Erikson, Columbia University22-16 INFLUENCES ON PARTISANSHIP ANDIDEOLOGY (Co-sponsored with PoliticalPsychology, see 18-15)RoomChairPaperPaperTBA, Sat 8:30 amJohn M. Bruce, University of MississippiExpertise, Motivation, and the Dimensional Structure ofIdeologyChristopher M. Federico, University of MinnesotaOverview: Using the 2000 NES and 2004 NES, I demonstratethat ideology is more likely to be structured in bipolar left-rightterms among citizens who possess both political expertise and amotivation to use it for evaluative purposes.The Elements of Public OpinionPaul Goren, Arizona State UniversityOverview: I use data from the 1990-1996 NES surveys toanalyze how partisan and ideological identities shape the corepolitical values of equal opportunity, limited government,trditional family values, and moral tolerance.PaperPaperDisc.The Nature of Mass and Elite Belief Systems, 1992-1996: APanel StudyShannon Jenkins, University of Massachusetts, DartmouthDoug Roscoe, University of Massachusetts, DartmouthJohn P. Frendreis, Loyola University, ChicagoAlan R. Gitelson, Loyola University, ChicagoOverview: Compares panel data (1992-1996) on the nature ofmass and elite belief systems, including the constraint andstability of issue opinions, ideology and partisan identification.Party Switchers: The Effect of Abortion Attitudes andEconomic EvaluationsMitchell F. Killian, George Washington UniversityClyde Wilcox, Georgetown UniversityOverview: Our paper examines whether individuals whose partyidentification conflicts with their abortion attitudes andeconomic evaluations are more likely to switch parties thanindividuals who are not experiencing these conflicting politicalattitudes.John M. Bruce, University of MississippiWilliam G. Jacoby, Michigan State University23-6 GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND VOTERTURNOUTRoomChairPaperPaperPaperDisc.TBA, Sat 8:30 amSuzanne Mettler, Syracuse UniversityPolitical Participation Among American Military VeteransMark Nicol, Saginaw Valley State UniversityOverview: This examination of veterans' political participationdemonstrates a relationship between veteran status and voting.Further examination suggests the difference is not attributable tomilitary service, but to other demographic characteristics.Does Welfare Policy Affect Aggregate Voter Turnout Rate?Han Soo Lee, Texas A&M UniversityOverview: This study examines whether and how welfare policyaffects aggregate voter turnout rate in the United States. The testresults of this study show that level of welfare policy positivelyaffects aggregate voter turnout.How Policy Receipt Affects Voter Turnout: Results of theMaxwell PollSuzanne Mettler, Syracuse UniversityJeffrey M. Stonecash, Syracuse UniversityOverview: Little is known about how government socialprograms influence beneficiaries' political participation. We usethe Maxwell Poll of 2004 and 2005 to assess such relationships,examining the influence of several programs on voter turnout.Melissa K. Comber, Allegheny College24-10 MEDIA EFFECTS AND PRESIDENTIALELECTIONSRoomChairPaperPaperTBA, Sat 8:30 amDanny Hayes, University of Texas, AustinPost-Debate Coverage: The Influence of the Media onCandidate EvaluationsKim Fridkin, Arizona State UniversityPatrick J. Kenney, Arizona State UniversitySara Allen Gershon, Arizona State UniversityGina Serignese-Woodall, Arizona State UniversityOverview: We examined the impact of media coverage of the3rd presidential debate on candidate evaluations, and found thatthe debate led viewers to become more favorable towards JohnKerry, while media coverage increased favorability towardsPresident Bush.The Media and the Discovery of the Battleground StateDarshan J. Goux, University of California, BerkeleyOverview: Presidential campaigns have long prioritized ahandful of states in their electoral strategies. So what explainsthe emergence of the "battleground state" in contemporarypolitical discourse and what effect has that new politicalcategory carried?194