The pleasure principle Why (some) people develop a taste for politics: Evidence from a preregistered experiment.

Alexander Wuttke

doi:10.1017/pls.2020.18

Abstract

Existing theories struggle when political engagement is an end in itself. To explain intrinsically motivated engagement in politics, this study synthesizes psychological theories to deduce a need-based theory of political motivation. It posits that intrinsic political motivation has roots in seemingly apolitical processes of need satisfaction that are universal and deeply ingrained in the human psyche. However, in a high-powered survey experiment, 14 of 15 preregistered analytical tests did not yield the expected evidence for the basic tenet that previous need-related experiences with politics affect the quality and quantity of future activities in the political domain. Showcasing a stepwise approach to engage with null results in hypothesis-driven research, post hoc analyses solidify the null findings, which call into question the validity of the presented theory and the previous evidence on which it was built. This study thus enhances our understanding of what does and does not underlie intrinsic motivation for political engagement.

Highlights

Existing theories struggle when political engagement is an end in itself
Whether individuals recently had a positive experience with the political domain had no ramifications on the intrinsic motivation for subsequent encounters with politics
To understand why some people develop a taste for politics while others find it boring or burdensome, this study has laid out a theoretical framework for understanding the motivational processes driving political engagement as its own reward

Summary

Introduction

To explain intrinsically motivated engagement in politics, this study synthesizes psychological theories to deduce a need-based theory of political motivation. This study enhances our understanding of what does and does not underlie intrinsic motivation for political engagement. Because valuing something for its inherently rewarding qualities foreshadows frequent and sustained enactment, whether members of a particular society find pleasure in engaging politics has profound societal implications. If we consider engagement in politics a quality of good citizenship, and if we seek to promote such proclivities, it is crucial to understand how to foster the taste for politics so that people will fulfill their duties as good citizens, not merely as a chore but as a source of joy. Political science struggles to explain situational and individual variation in intrinsically motivated engagement.

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Conclusion