experimental methods

The Wiggle Room of Majority Rule

There is broad consensus among Europeans that turnout levels and majority size matter for the legitimacy of a referendum. We further identify that citizens find it easier to accept an outcome that maintains the status quo situation.

The importance of good loser messages – A de-biasing experiment

Because of the negative consequences that follow from loss, citizens who dislike the policy decision in question are disposed to believe that the winning camp has acted unfairly. We explore whether a good loser message from an in-group leader – a …

When the Computer Says No: Investigating the Legitimacy of Automated Political Decisions.

How do citizens feel about automated governance?

The Supply-side Determinants of Populism: A Conjoint Experiment in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden

What characteristics in politicians are attractive to populist voters and what constitutes atypical populist politician in the eyes of Western European citizens?

Upward Representation Bias: How Voters Sustain Political Inequality

Citizens of lower socio-economic status tend to want politicians with higher socio-economic status even if they know their political views will be less represented.

Procedural Congruence and the Delegate-Trustee Dilemma

Should the representatives follow the opinions of their voters, or should they follow their own convictions?

Do citizens make inferences from political candidate characteristics when aiming for substantive representation?

We elicit citizens' preferences over hypothetical candidates by applying conjoint survey experiments within a probability-based online panel of the Norwegian electorate. Our experimental treatments differ in whether citizens receive information about …