Analysis of the Mediating Effect of Personal‐Psychological Variables on the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Political Participation

A Structural Equations Framework

Bibliographic Data

ID7971979
AuthorsAaron Cohen (0000-0002-4610-9912), Eran Vigoda‐gadot (0000-0003-2594-8546, University of Haifa), Eran Vigoda, Aliza Samorly (University of Haifa)
Year2001
Volume22
Issue4
Pages727-757
Publication date2001-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitical Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0162-895X • E-ISSN: 1467-9221
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/0162-895x.00260
OpenAlexW2124298963
LanguageEN
Citations received75
References cited30

The goal of this research was to test whether the relationship between socioeconomic status and political participation is direct or mediated by personal variables such as self‐esteem, locus of control, and political efficacy, and to detect how such a mediating process might operate if it exists. Two forms of participation, namely active political participation and the more passive psychological involvement of citizens in the democratic process, were treated as separate but related facets of participation. Four competing models were advanced and tested. The data were collected from 434 citizens in the north of Israel who were interviewed by questionnaire. The analysis was performed by structural equations modeling with LISREL VIII. The findings show that the relationship between socioeconomic status and political participation can be better understood as being mediated by personal variables rather than direct. This is demonstrated by the many nonsignificant paths in the direct model. The findings also reveal that active political participation and psychological involvement are distinct but related constructs, where involvement leads to active participation. In addition, all research variables were related more strongly to psychological involvement than to active political participation. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for future research on political participation

Democracy · LISREL · Locus of control · Political science · Politics · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Structural equation modeling · Variables · Demography · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology · Youth Development and Social Support