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Home Issues Backissues Volume 31, No.1 The Categorical analysis of the social context position--a case study of 1989 legislative election in the second district of Taipei city

The Categorical analysis of the social context position--a case study of 1989 legislative election in the second district of Taipei city

Chia-hung Tsai
1995 / 11
Volume 2, No.2

pp.171-203
Paper

Abstract

This article attempts to show that the social factor: the effect of social network is discernible and important in the 1989 Legislative Yuan election of Taipei City South district. Traditionally, analysis of Taiwanese voting behavior focused on the psychological factor. Party identification which shed light on the stability of voting behavior was often highly emphasized. By inspecting the interviweds' frequency of contacting and discussing with their friends or neighbors, it is ident-ified three locations in the social network. In the analysis of electorate's demographic characteristics and their political involve-ment as well as knowledge. It is found that a vertical association of mobilization exists between the three locations. Party identification dominates in the process of vote desicion, however, the vertical associ-ation help determine the formation of party preference. This paper explains how the social network influence the elector-ate, by observing the party preference volatility in the Taipei City South District. It is concluded that a part of electorate, who has not strong party preference, is changing their preference while old social network was replacing by new media and taking over by astute elite.

Keywords

Social network

Canvass

Vote choice

Party system