Original scientific paper
Perceived Morality and Competence in the Motivational Structure of Political Preferences
Stanko RIHTAR
Vesna LAMZA POSAVEC
Abstract
With an accent on the dominant theoretical viewpoints and
results of extensive empirical research, the work analyses the
mutual relationship of the perceived morality and competence
of political protagonists in the motivational structure of
voting at the 2001 elections for the City Council of Zagreb
representatives. Also, the work examines these criteria with regard to the cognitive capacity of voters. The results confirm
the initial hypothesis that, in general, judgements concerning
the morality of political protagonists have a more important
role in the motivational repertoire of voters than do
impressions of their competence, as well as having an
influence on the formation of global impressions on a more
general theoretical level. However, contrary to expectations,
the analysis of results according to the cognitive capacity of
examinees has shown that in a specific electoral situation the
examinees with higher cognitive abilities have less frequently
based their political choice on impressions of competence of
the preferred electoral options, both with regard to the
criterion of morality as well as in comparison with persons of
lower capacities. This has been explained by predominantly
situational factors connected to the critical evaluation of real
representatives of the current political scene, and not some
abstract, desirable or ideal-type protagonists.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
19542
URI
Publication date:
30.4.2003.
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