Efficacy and political participation : how can i make a difference?
Committee members: Kuehl, Colin; Schraufnagel, Scot.||Advisor: Clark, April.||Includes bibliographical references.
Abstract
While there have been numerous empirical studies of the causal determinants of political participation, few have examined how separate efficacious attitudes affect the way in which an individual chooses to participate in the political system. This research examines the relationship between political participation and the efficacious attitudes of individuals in the US electorate. Specifically, it breaks down political efficacy into two forms, internal and external efficacy, as well as, placing various forms of political participation into a typology of direct and indirect participation, to determine the interplay of efficacious attitudes and the likelihood an individual participates in one form of participation or the other. The research finds that efficacy remains an important predictor of participation and the separation of efficacious forms is important in understanding the participatory nature of the US electorate.
