Identity-based voter turnout
Can subtle identity language increase democratic participation?
One line of work tested whether asking people about “being a voter” rather than “voting” increases turnout. The replication history is mixed, which makes this a useful case for thinking about psychologically authentic interventions, social identity, and field replication.
Possible study designs:
- Test identity wording in lower-stakes settings such as student elections or student assemblies.
- Compare identity wording with social-pressure messages and implementation-intention prompts.
- Measure whether the wording actually changes self-perception as a voter before testing behavior.
- Use preregistered field experiments where turnout or participation can be observed.
Key references to organize:
- Bryan, Walton, Rogers, and Dweck (2011) on voter identity wording.
- Gerber, Huber, Biggers, and Hendry (2016) on failed replication.
- Bryan, Walton, and Dweck (2016) on psychologically authentic replication attempts.
- Gerber, Huber, and Fang (2018) on a new replication experiment.
- Gerber, Green, and Larimer (2008), and Rogers, Green, Ternovski, and Young (2017), on social pressure and voting.
Key risks:
- Identity wording may only work when the identity is meaningful, authentic, and contextually supported.
- Social pressure may increase turnout while raising ethical or reactance concerns.
Related ideas: