Approaching the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election From a Diversity of Explanatory Principles: Understanding, Consistency, and Hedonism. (December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Holbert, R. Lance; Weeks, Brian E.; Esralew, Sarah
• Other Names: Payne J. Gregory guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: American behavioral scientist. Volume 57:Number 12(2013)
• Page Start: 1663
• Page End: 1687
• Publication Date: 2013-12
• Subjects: hedonic principle -- political communication -- explanatory principle; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; United States -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1177/0002764213490693
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-7642

Abstract

The explanatory principles of understanding and consistency are used to detail the past, present, and future of individual-level political communication media effects research. It is argued that the field of political communication is at a crossroads, with preferences for a dominant explanatory principle shifting from understanding back to consistency. In addition to understanding and consistency, it is argued that political communication researchers need to begin introducing additional explanatory principles (e.g., hedonism) to the field for the generation of new lines of inquiry. A call for embracing a diversity of explanatory principles is offered, and the utility of such an approach is explored within the context of the 2012 U.S. presidential election.