Independent Research

Over the course of the 2017 Fall semester, I worked on an independent research project with Associate Professor Christopher Williams. The paper has been accepted to be presented at the 2018 Southern Political Science Association Conference. Below is the abstract.

Abstract

Do individual personality traits influence individual feelings of political efficacy?

Recent research has attempted to discern a link between the Big Five personality traits and political participation. This research has suggested that individuals with higher levels of Extraversion are more likely to participate. It has further illustrated that higher levels Openness to Experience and Extraversion lead to larger and more diverse networks. However, there is a paucity of research regarding the relationship between high levels of a personality trait and a sense of political efficacy. Relying on data from the 2012  American National Election Studies, this piece seeks to understand if high levels of Openness to Experience and Extraversion lead individuals to feel a greater sense of political efficacy. The findings of this study provide us with a deeper knowledge of the individual level factors that motivate political attitudes and participation and inform our understanding of democratic functioning in the United States, and in consolidated democracies more generally.