Older but Wiser? Effects of Age on Political Cognition

Abstract

In experimental studies of voter's information processing, Lau and Redlawsk (2006) found one control variable to have pervasive effects in their analyses: age. Age was associated with less information search, less memory, less accurate memory, and a lower probability of making a correct vote. Reexamining those experimental studies, we find that inexperience with computers and slower manual dexterity are both associated with less information access, but controlling on these factors, age continues to have a strong negative effect on information processing. In other more familiar situations, however, political knowledge can accumulate with greater experience, as it does with memories for actual presidential candidates and political parties, although this effect reverses at very advanced ages. Age has minimal effects on the probability of correct voting until the mid-60s, but we observe very sharp dropoffs thereafter. The normative implications of these findings for democratic representativeness are discussed.

The Bright Side of the Economic Crisis: The Attribution of Political Responsibilities in Hard Times

“…We expect a positive relationship between age and political knowledge, although a decline in this relationship has been demonstrated in advanced ages in previous works (Lau and Redlawsk, 2009). For this reason, Age (in years) and Age (squared) (to capture a potential non-linear relationship) are included in the models.…”

“…According to the previous literature, the variable should enter positively in the model as men tend to show higher levels of political knowledge than women (see Fraile, 2014). • We expect a positive relationship between age and political knowledge, although a decline in this relationship has been demonstrated in advanced ages in previous works (Lau and Redlawsk, 2009). For this reason, Age (in years) and Age (squared) (to capture a potential non-linear relationship) are included in the models.…”

Compensatory Voting in Direct Legislation. Evidence from Switzerland

“…This downplays situations in which one particular pro argument trumps all other contra arguments. While this is certainly possible, several studies of decision making have shown that it does not really make a difference whether or not weighting of different arguments is applied to determine voters’ preferences on a particular initiative (Lau and Redlawsk ; Milic ). Moreover, some arguments (in particular those that were declared pro or contra beforehand, e.g.…”

Affirmative Action and the Power of the Elderly

“…Our welfare states and the dominant role of pensions can be explained by 'gerontocracy', that is, the elderly represent an interest-group which is successful in exerting political power and obtaining transfers in its favor (Mulligan and Sala-i-Martin 2003). Age also influences the ability of voters to process information and to make a correct vote, as discussed in Lau and Redlawsk (2008).…”