Untangling the Impact of Negative Campaigning on Citizens
The tolerance and tactics theory of negativity is presented in Chapter 1. The marriage of citizens’ tolerance for negativity, on the one hand, with the tactics employed by candidates, on the other hand, will clarify when negative campaigning works. The theory begins with a simple premise: people vary in their tolerance for negative campaigning and individuals with less tolerance for negativity will be more influenced by attack advertising. In addition, it is crucial to consider the content and tone of the negative messages to know when negativity will be effective. Finally, the interplay between people’s tolerance of negativity and candidates’ tactics provide a framework for understanding the effects of negativity on citizens’ assessments of candidates and their likelihood of voting on Election Day.