Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Spring 5-6-2026

Faculty Advisor(s)

Ann Gordon

Abstract

People often disagree about the state of the economy, even when faced with the same facts. These differences are especially highlighted during times of inflation, changing employment trends, and public debate over the economy.  Relying on data from the American National Election Studies (ANES), a representative survey of U.S. adults, I examined how general partisan alignment, along with other factors, shapes perceptions of the national economy and influences citizens’ judgements about economic conditions. The results show that partisanship strongly biases economic evaluations, demonstrating that people who align with the incumbent party express greater optimism, with the opposition partisans showing greater pessimism. I also examined the extent to which perceptions were shaped by one’s personal financial situation and education level and found that both traits follow partisan lines. These findings further support the idea that economic evaluations are extensions of political identity rather than objective evaluations of current conditions. Such biased evaluations have real consequences, as they directly shape voting behavior and support for policies. Ultimately, biased perceptions compromise citizens’ ability to truly understand the economy, allowing partisan loyalties to override facts, and posing potential risks to how debates are framed and understood, as collective decision-making becomes shaped more by identity than by reality.

Comments

Presented at the Spring 2026 Student Scholar Symposium at Chapman University.

Download

Share

COinS