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Last week's blog discussed whether record voter dissatisfaction would lead to greater turnout this year or whether eligible voters would exhibit "complaining learned helplessness" and stay home on Election Day. So how did we do? Read More
Turnout was low among key democrat groups
The Ohio data show very clearly that turnout was low in the big cities where dems are populous.
It is hard to see what this has to do with learned helplessness. Voters are not subject to repeated electric shocks. People who supported Obama in 2008 only have to stay home to show their displeasure. They don't want to vote Republican and they want to express displeasure, so they stay home.
My reply
Learned helplessness has been studied in people for decades and has been induced and observered in countless experiments, none of which involved electric shocks to humans, as should be obvious. Rather, learned helplessness is experimentally induced by simple negative experiences related to lack of control over outcomes. In life, such situations occur naturally and commonly.
In Ohio, people were voting for their State governer, Senator and House representatives, all of whom will have a far more immediate impact on their lives than the President. Voters have the option of expressing displeasure with any elected official whenever they please simply by emailing them with their complaints. Such emails and letters often have an impact when enough people speak up about a given issue.
Further, punishing the President who was not up for relection does not explain why turnout is less than 50% even among Republicans and Independents. Rather, people fear their vote simply won't make a difference. Their 'I'm frustrated but won't take action to do anything about it because I'm convinced it won't matter' mentality constitutes the definition of learned helplessness.
Trust
Hi Dr. Winch
Interesting theory, I don't think “Complaining Learned Helplessness”
is the final explanation for the abysmal voter turnout,
but it does make sense as a contributing factor.
I actually agreed more with Ms. Ray who argues:
"The answer is complicated, but at its core is a fundamental
idea: social trust. The bedrock of voting and taking part in
one's community is a deep-down belief that you can trust your
fellow man not to cheat you, that you're in this together,
fair and square. If you can't feel safe with someone, far
better to be alone. And if you're alone, you're not building
community, you're not taking part, and you're more apt to
believe your voice doesn't matter."
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/adulthood-whats-the-rush/201011/will...
Also, Dr. Twenge discusses the rise in narcissism:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-narcissism-epidemic/201005/the-d...
To a small extent, Voting is something people do for themselves,
but to a much greater extent it is something that they do for
the community. More and more people don't care about, or
trust, their fellow citizens, the result is low voter turnout.
Did appreciate your adding "complaining" to your explanation.
We are living through a tsunami of complaining, but as it turns
out not a lot of action on the part of voters.
Terry
Very thoughtful comment
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Terry!
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