A method for evaluating cognitively informed micro-targeted campaign strategies: An agent-based model proof of principle.

ABSTRACT: In political campaigns, perceived candidate credibility influences the persuasiveness of messages. In campaigns aiming to influence people's beliefs, micro-targeted campaigns (MTCs) that target specific voters using their psychological profile have become increasingly prevalent. It remains open how effective MTCs are, notably in comparison to population-targeted campaign strategies. Using an agent-based model, the paper applies recent insights from cognitive models of persuasion, extending them to the societal level in a novel framework for exploring political campaigning. The paper provides an initial treatment of the complex dynamics of population level political campaigning in a psychologically informed manner. Model simulations show that MTCs can take advantage of the psychology of the

SUBMITTER: Madsen JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5892896 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature