When endocrinology and democracy collide: Emotions, cortisol and voting at national elections

Abstract Faced with stressful experiences, such as uncertainty or novelty, the adrenal glands secrete glucocorticoid hormones to help us cope with stress. Since many decision-making situations are stressful, there is reason to believe that voting is a stressful event. In this study, we asked voters...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European neuropsychopharmacology 2011-11, Vol.21 (11), p.789-795
Main Authors: Waismel-Manor, Israel, Ifergane, Gal, Cohen, Hagit
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cortisol
Decision Making
Democracy
Emotions
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Humans
Hydrocortisone - metabolism
Internal Medicine
Israel
Male
Middle Aged
Negative affect
Politics
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychiatry
Saliva - metabolism
Stress, Psychological - psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Time
Voting
Young Adult
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Summary:Abstract Faced with stressful experiences, such as uncertainty or novelty, the adrenal glands secrete glucocorticoid hormones to help us cope with stress. Since many decision-making situations are stressful, there is reason to believe that voting is a stressful event. In this study, we asked voters in Israel's national election (N = 113) to report on their general affective state immediately before entering the polling place using the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and to provide us with a saliva sample through which we could evaluate their cortisol levels. Compared to a second sample of voters who reported their affective state on election night (N = 70), we found that voters at the ballot box had higher positive and negative affect. Moreover, our voters at the polling place exhibited cortisol levels that were significantly higher than their own normal levels obtained on a similar day, and significantly higher than those of a second control group sampled the day after the elections (N = 6). Our data demonstrate that elections are exciting, yet stressful events, and it is this stress, among other factors, that elevates the cortisol levels of voters. Since elevated cortisol has been found to affect memory consolidation, impair memory retrieval and lead to risk-seeking behavior, we discuss how these outcomes of elevated cortisol levels may affect voting in general and the field of electoral studies in particular.
ISSN:0924-977X
1873-7862
DOI:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2011.03.003