Psychology of politics: Distance Plays Key Role in Gun Control Arguments

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130325141722.htm

Mar. 25, 2013 — As the nation continues to grapple with the long-simmering issue of gun control, solutions are stymied by heated debates. To effectively influence a divided America, elected officials must take a broad perspective rather than focusing on specific incidents, according to a new psychology study from The University of Texas at Austin.

The study, led by University of Texas at Austin psychology researchers Erin Burgoon and Marlone Henderson, is published in the March online issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

According to the findings, public officials who are located out of state from their constituents and the incident are more likely to gain approval by framing their arguments around the abstract rather than specific incidents. This prompts people to consider the larger picture, says Henderson, assistant professor of psychology.

As for the representatives located closer to the participants, the researchers found they scored higher approval ratings for their decisions based on single incidents, such as the shooting in Arizona of former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in January 2011. When politicians speak at local events, they cue their constituents to focus on the specifics and look at the rich details of life, Henderson says.

"By focusing on the here-and-now, people are likely to be much more accepting of a nearby politician's stance on gun control," Henderson says. "Yet when a more geographically distant politician gives a speech or an interview, people tend to think in broader terms and want their elected officials to do the same by avoiding basing their policies on a single shooting incident."