Feeling Their Pain: Why Voters Want Leaders Who Care

The 2020 Presidential Election in the US was marked by a return to compassionate politics, with Joe Biden running on a platform of empathy. Jared McDonald's book "Feeling their Pain: Why Voters want Leaders who Care" provides a framework for understanding why voters view some politicians as more compassionate than others. Compassion is conceptualized through the lens of self-interest and can be universal or exclusionary, with implications for election outcomes and American political polarization.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 25 January 2024
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The 2020 Presidential Election in the United States marked a significant shift towards compassionate politics, with Joe Biden's campaign emphasizing empathy and personal connection with diverse audiences. While perceptions of candidate compassion play a crucial role in influencing voter choices, understanding the mechanisms through which candidates convey their care is less explored. In his book "Feeling their Pain: Why Voters Want Leaders who Care," Jared McDonald offers a comprehensive framework for understanding why voters perceive certain politicians as more compassionate than others.

McDonald's research reveals that perceptions of compassion in candidates are influenced by the number and intensity of commonalities that bind citizens to political leaders. These commonalities can take various forms, including shared experiences, shared emotions, or shared identities. Compassion, in this context, is conceptualized as a self-interested act, with candidates expressing empathy to all individuals who are struggling or showing a preference for specific groups over others.

Campaigns' messaging strategies play a pivotal role in wielding compassion, as they shape how voters perceive and interpret candidates' actions and statements. By emphasizing shared experiences and emotions, candidates can create a sense of empathy and understanding, which can resonate with voters. However, the selective use of compassion can also contribute to American political polarization, as it may reinforce existing divisions and create barriers between different groups of voters.

Overall, "Feeling their Pain: Why Voters Want Leaders who Care" provides valuable insights into the factors that influence perceptions of compassion in candidates and the implications of these perceptions for election outcomes and American political polarization. By understanding the mechanisms through which candidates convey their care, policymakers and political leaders can work towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate political landscape.

Weight: 294g
Dimension: 156 x 236 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197696903