Journal of Electoral Studies

Issues

Home Issues Backissues Volume 31, No.1 A Study of Negative Identification against a Specific Party in Taiwan

A Study of Negative Identification against a Specific Party in Taiwan

Shu-Mei Chuang and Yung-Tai Hung
2011 / 11
Volume 18, No.2

pp.1-29
10.6612/tjes.2011.18.02.01-29
Paper

Abstract

According to The American Voter, party identification affects voters' attitudes, feelings, even the voting behavior towards political parties. In Taiwan, party identification indeed has fundamental effects on voters' voting behavior. But there is still something that can't be explained. This study found that negative identification against a specific party is also a crucial factor that affects voters' voting behavior. The negative attitude towards a specific party is a long-term, consistent attitude. And it is very hard to change.The study employed methods including in-depth interviews, focus groups and telephone survey to investigate the issue. First, results from qualitative research indicated that three factors, namely, national identity, ethnic identity and party image are the roots of the voters' negative attitude toward a specific party. The study also developed a questionnaire to measure the negative attitudes toward a specific party of the voters in Taiwan; 46.3% of the survey respondents expressed that there is one or more than one parties they would have never voted for. We then combined the traditional party identification variable and the newly-developed ”which party that you will never vote for” variable into a new party identification indicator. Empirical studies using survey data showed that the new variable were good in both validity and reliability tests and was doing very well in explaining voters' voting behavior in Taiwan.

Keywords

party identification

negative party identification against a specific party

new party identification variable