The beginnings of P. Lazarsfeld's political sociology - The People's Choice : social determinants of voter decisions
Abstract
This article aims to acquaint the reader with the classical research on how voting preferences are formed that was carried out by Paul F. Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson, and Hazel Gaudet during the 1940 US presidential elections.
The research shows complex determinants of voting decisions, many of which could still be valid up until the present day, albeit with understandable distinctions in given differences of time and place and the different political cultures of the USA and Central Europe. The People's Choice is a monograph that provides an insight into the workshop of political sociology.
The article discusses the influence of social and ideological differences among voters, and deals with their interest in the electoral campaign and participation in elections. It analyses which factors were decisive in the timing of the voters' final decisions and examines the operation of mutual 'cross-pressures' on these decisions.
It presents examples of analysis, an index, and a theoretical conclusion of the work. The use of the results of panel analysis will be the theme of a further article that will appear in a subsequent issue of this journal.