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Legislator Dissent as a Valence Signal

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  • Campbell, Rosie
  • Cowley, Philip
  • Vivyan, Nick
  • Wagner, Markus

Abstract

Existing research suggests that voters tend to respond positively to legislator independence due to two types of mechanism. First, dissent has an indirect effect, increasing a legislator’s media coverage and personal recognition among constituents (profile effects). Secondly, constituents react positively to dissent when this signals that the legislator has matching political or representational preferences (conditional evaluation). This article presents a third effect: dissent acts as a valence signal of integrity and trustworthiness. Consistent with the valence signalling mechanism, it uses new observational and experimental evidence to show that British voters have a strong and largely unconditional preference for legislators who dissent. The findings pose a dilemma for political systems that rely on strong and cohesive parties.

Suggested Citation

  • Campbell, Rosie & Cowley, Philip & Vivyan, Nick & Wagner, Markus, 2019. "Legislator Dissent as a Valence Signal," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(1), pages 105-128, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:bjposi:v:49:y:2019:i:01:p:105-128_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Toke Aidt & Felix Grey & Alexandru Savu, 2021. "The Meaningful Votes: Voting on Brexit in the British House of Commons," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 587-617, March.
    2. Zoltán Fazekas & Martin Ejnar Hansen, 2022. "Incentives for non-participation: absence in the United Kingdom House of Commons, 1997–2015," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 191(1), pages 51-73, April.
    3. Aidt, T. S & Grey, F. & Savu, A., 2019. "The Three Meaningful Votes: Voting on Brexit in the British House of Commons," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1979, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.

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