When and why does education matter? Motivation and resource effects in political efficacy. (6th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: RASMUSSEN, STIG HEBBELSTRUP RYE; NØRGAARD, ASBJØRN SONNE
• Is Part Of: European journal of political research. Volume 57:Number 1(2018)
• Page Start: 24
• Page End: 46
• Publication Date: 2017-06-06
• Subjects: education -- motivation and resource effects -- political efficacy -- personality traits; Political science -- Research -- Europe -- Periodicals; 320.05
• DOI: 10.1111/1475-6765.12213
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0304-4130

Abstract

Abstract: Education increases political engagement because it bolsters motivations and cognition on the one hand, and relative resources on the other. However, personality traits have recently been found to partially confound the education effect. Focusing on internal and external political efficacy allows us to disentangle the different effects of education. It is argued in this article (a) that personal dispositions confound the cognitive and motivational effect of education, which is the predominant effect of education on internal efficacy, but not resource effects which are important for external but not internal efficacy; and (b) that resource effects are context‐dependent whereas cognitive and motivational effects are not. Accordingly, the article shows that the competitive context in which individuals find themselves conditions the effect of education on external, but not on internal, efficacy.