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This section of the Higher Politics course explores three theories or models of voting behaviour:
1.Rational-choice model- based on the view that voters are rational beings who make voting decisions based on self interest.
2. Sociological model- based on the view that voting behaviour is linked to being in a particular social or economic group.
3. Party-identification model- based on the view that voters have a psychological attachment to one or other party.
In the final examination you can be asked to write a response to a 12-mark extended response question that focuses on one of these models. In this case you only write about the theory mentioned in the question.
You may be asked to respond to a 20-mark extended response question that asks you to write about all three models. The final tasks in this section of the course will present both of these scenarios to you.
There is a thesis attached to the top of this post offering quite a high-level analysis of the three theories of voting behaviour. This is not essential reading, but you may wish to access it to gain a more in depth understanding of these theories.
If you have studied Higher Modern Studies you will have covered voting behaviour as a study theme. There is a difference when studying voting behaviour for Higher Politics as we are covering this in a theoretical sense rather than looking at specific factors such as class, age and the media (although these factors are discussed also).