Performance information in politics: How framing, format, and rhetoric matter to politicians’ preferences

Martin Baekgaard, Nicola Belle, Søren Serritzlew, Mariafrancesca Sicilia and Ileana Steccolini
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Martin Baekgaard: Aarhus University
Nicola Belle: Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies
Søren Serritzlew: Aarhus University
Mariafrancesca Sicilia: University of Bergamo
Ileana Steccolini: Essex Business School

Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, 2019, vol. 2, issue 2

Abstract: Performance information research has grown rapidly over the last decade with much research emphasizing the importance of how information is framed, presented, and communicated by using a distinct rhetorical appeal. In this study, we examine how the framing, format, and rhetoric of performance information influences preferences among elected politicians. We study the direct effects of how information is presented. We also argue that performance information is always a mixture of different frames, formats, and rhetorical appeals and that it is therefore important to account for interaction effects. Using a large-scale survey experiment with responses from 1,406 Italian local politicians, we find that framing and ethos-based rhetoric affect politicians’ responses to performance information. We also find that the format of presentation is important in several ways. Thus, politicians are more likely to support the status quo when information is presented graphically rather than textually, and a graphical format furthermore reduces the impact of ethos-based rhetoric and – to a lesser extent – the impact of equivalence framing.

Keywords: Performance information; Framing; Information formats; Rhetoric; Politician preferences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 D90 D91 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bpd:articl:v:2:y:2019:i:2:jbpa.22.67

DOI: 10.30636/jbpa.22.67

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