Implicit Representations of Political Leaders: A Multidimensional Analysis

Abstract

Implicit cognitive representations of 20 salient political personalities (10 domestic, 10 foreign) were studied in two samples (N1= 121; N2= 129) over a 1‐year interval. The aim of the study was to elaborate multidimensional models of voting preference by (a) representing the cognitive dimensions used by subjects in perceiving politicians, (b) contrasting perceptions of domestic and foreign leaders, (c) evaluating the effects of time, and (d) assessing individual differences between subjects on political perception. Judgments were analyzed by Carroll and Chang's (1970) Individual Differences Multidimensional Scaling (INDSCAL) procedure. Results showed that three implicit dimensions, evaluation, ideology, and leadership qualities, underlied perceptions of both domestic and foreign politicians. There were greater changes in perceptions of foreign and left‐of‐center leaders over the year than in judgments of domestic and right‐of‐center leaders; and individual differences such as attitudes, personality, and cognitive style were also significantly related to cognitive representations of politicians. Results were discussed in terms of their implications for predictive models of voting behavior, and the use of these methods in large‐scale political surveys and polls is suggested.