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An Empirical Study of Voters without Partisanship

Research Project

Project/Area Number 02802007
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Research Field Politics
Research InstitutionToyo Eiwa Women's University

Principal Investigator

TANAKA Aiji  Toyo Eiwa Women's University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Social Sciences, Associate Professor, 人文学部, 助教授 (40188280)

Project Period (FY) 1990 – 1991
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 1991)
Budget Amount *help
¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000)
Fiscal Year 1991: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 1990: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
KeywordsPartisanship / Voting Behavior / Political Attitudes / Nonpartisans / Political Independents / 選挙研究 / 政治支持 / 無党派層 / 支持政党なし / 社会調査
Research Abstract

This study was based on a mail-out panel survey conducted in Midori-ward of Yokohama City in February-March 1991 and in November-December 1991. Of the original sample of 1, 006, 523 responded on the first wave, and 364 answered on the second wave.
The purpose of this study was to examine nature of political independents in Japan, with special focus on independents who conscientiously or deliberately reject partisanship. For this purpose, this study tested two types of new measurement of partisanship.
First, feeling thermometer scale toward political independents was created, and was asked, together with conventional feeling thermometer scales toward major parties, on the first wave survey. The results of a principal component analysis of these thermometer scales showed that three separate dimensions appeared : the conservative-progressive dimension, the middle-of-the-way parties dimension, and political independent dimension. Therefore, in the respondents' minds, political independents a … More re regarded as an independent entity.
Second, a series of questions to probe the voters' independent orientation were asked on the second wave survey. The conventional measurement of partisanship has been to ask respondents if they have partisanship. Then, those respondents who do not have partisanship are categorized as independents. In other words, the residual category of partisans has been operationally defined as "independents". However, in this study, the respondents were first asked if they have any attitudes or orientation toward political independents. Only those respondents Who answered negatively would be asked about their partisanship. The comparison of the data based on this new partisan measurement and the conventional measurement indicates that the percentage of political independents is much higher on the new method (63.7%) than its percentage on the conventional method (31.2%), implying that the conventional measurement of partisanship might have underestimated the size of independents in Japan. Less

Report

(3 results)
  • 1991 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 1990 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (11 results)

All Other

All Publications (11 results)

  • [Publications] 田中 愛治: "「政党支持なし」層の研究(序)" 人文・社会科学論集(東洋英和女学院大学). 第2. 49-67 (1991)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1991 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 田中 愛治: "「政党支持なし」層の研究(1)" 人文・社会科学論集(東洋英和女学院大学). 第3. 71-95 (1991)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1991 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 田中 愛治: "「政党支持なし」層の意識構造と政治不信" 選挙研究(日本選挙学会). 第7. (1992)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1991 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Tanaka, Aiji: ""Seitoh Shijinashisoh no kenkyu (jo)[A Study of Political Independents : Introduction]"" Toyo Eiwa Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Nomber 2. 49-67 (1991)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1991 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Tanaka, Aiji: ""Seitoh Shijinashisoh no kenkyu (1)[A Study of Political Independents : Part I]"" Toyo Eiwa Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Nomber 3. 71-95 (1991)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1991 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Tanaka, Aiji: ""Seitoh Shijinashisoh no Ishikikouzou to Seiji Fushin [Attitudinal Structure of Political Independents and Political Distrust]. "" Senkyo Kenkyu. Number 7.

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1991 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 田中 愛治: "「政党支持なし」層の研究(序)" 人文・社会科学論集(東洋英和女学院大学). 第2. 49-67 (1991)

    • Related Report
      1991 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 田中 愛治: "「政党支持なし」層の研究(1)" 人文・社会科学論集(東洋英和女学院大学). 第3. 71-95 (1991)

    • Related Report
      1991 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 田中 愛治: "「政党支持なし」層の意識構造と政治不信" 選挙研究(日本選挙学会). 第7. (1992)

    • Related Report
      1991 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 田中 愛治: "「政党支持なし」層の研究(序)" 人文・社会科学論集 第2号 東洋英和女学院大学. 第2. 49-67 (1990)

    • Related Report
      1990 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 田中 愛治: "「政党支持なし」層の研究(1)" 人文・社会科学論集 第3号 東洋英和女学院大学. 第3. (1991)

    • Related Report
      1990 Annual Research Report

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Published: 1990-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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