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Trauma and Turnout

The Political Consequences of Traumatic Events

Bibliographic Data

ID3263129
AuthorsWayde Z C Marsh (0000-0003-1079-867X, Washington University in St. Louis, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume117
Issue3
Pages1036-1052
Publication date2023-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Political Science Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0003-0554 • E-ISSN: 1537-5943
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0003055422001010
OpenAlexW4311054166
LanguageEN
Citations received31
References cited86

How do traumatic experiences shape individuals' political behavior? Political scientists have investigated the behavioral changes caused by natural disasters and terrorist attacks, but no work to date has investigated the political consequences of such events using the framework of psychological trauma. In this study, I develop a theory of posttraumatic political response that explains how traumatic events influence voter turnout. To test this theory, I identify the effects of three different types of traumatic events: Black church arson attacks, mass shootings, and natural disasters. I find that a traumatic event decreases turnout in the next presidential election by 0.5-3.7 percentage points, but Black social identity conditions this effect-church arsons and Hurricane Katrina mobilize Black voters. Finally, I find that closer temporal proximity to an election increases the likelihood of a mobilizing effect

Arson · Criminology · Event (particle physics · Geography · Natural disaster · Natural experiment · Political science · Politics · Presidential election · Social group · Social identity theory · Terrorism · Turnout · Voting · Disaster Management and Resilience · Law · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Social Psychology · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence

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Unique citing works31
Citations per year10,33
Citation span2023 - 2026 (4)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 31
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