Date of Award
Spring 2021
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Historical & Political Studies; College of Arts & Sciences
First Advisor
Angela Kachuyevski
Abstract
There are several factors that contribute to political party affiliation in the United States, but it is not clear precisely to what extent. Two theories in particular, Social Force Theory & Parental Value Transmission Theory, argue that identity politics, a child’s perception of the parent, and shared racial struggles are all factors which contribute directly to political party affiliation. Using pattern matching, I operationalize several concepts or factors such as race, gender, and religion as indicators. Compiling data from the Pew Research Center, Gallup, and case studies, I found that most of these factors are intersectional and that intersectionality is prevalent in political party affiliation. My findings indicate that most, if not all, of the factors I operationalized play a crucial role in political party affiliation in the United States.
Recommended Citation
McDowell, Christa, "How Sociological Factors Influence Political Party Affiliation in the U.S." (2021). Capstone Showcase. 3.
https://scholarworks.arcadia.edu/showcase/2021/pgl/3
Included in
Other Political Science Commons, Political Theory Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons
How Sociological Factors Influence Political Party Affiliation in the U.S.
There are several factors that contribute to political party affiliation in the United States, but it is not clear precisely to what extent. Two theories in particular, Social Force Theory & Parental Value Transmission Theory, argue that identity politics, a child’s perception of the parent, and shared racial struggles are all factors which contribute directly to political party affiliation. Using pattern matching, I operationalize several concepts or factors such as race, gender, and religion as indicators. Compiling data from the Pew Research Center, Gallup, and case studies, I found that most of these factors are intersectional and that intersectionality is prevalent in political party affiliation. My findings indicate that most, if not all, of the factors I operationalized play a crucial role in political party affiliation in the United States.