The US Presidential Election of 2016 and the Political Socialization of 8th-Graders

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examined the political typologies, perspectives, and presidential preferences of 115 8th-grade students both six weeks before and on Election Day 2016. Data from the Pew Research Center's Political Typology quiz, surveys, coursework, and classroom observations revealed the students political candidate preferences were stable, though their political ideologies were quite malleable, with more than half (55%) of the students' political typologies changing over the six weeks. After the election, most students expressed disdain and fear, yet few were able to express actions they could take to engage in the political process.

The elephant (and donkey) in the room: Parents’ approaches to political socialization surrounding the 2020 US election

“…Future research should also examine how parents and other adults talk with children not only prior to elections but about election outcomes. In order to prevent disengagement with politics, it may be important for adults to talk with youth about strategies they can use to engage in the political process, even when their desired candidates do not win (Anderson & Zyhowski, 2017). Promoting a sense of political efficacy and critical consciousness in the context of catalyzing political events is key for ongoing political interest and engagement among youth (Arens et al., 2017; Kennedy et al., 2020).…”

“…Elections may also provide an important vehicle for the development of party affiliation among youth, as candidate preferences tend to be more stable over time than ideological positions (Anderson & Zyhowski, 2017). Recent research on elementary school‐aged children in the United States indicates that large majorities of children show candidate preferences in presidential elections and that children support their preferences with a variety of explanations, including candidates’ personal characteristics and policy positions (Patterson et al., 2013, 2019).…”

“…Some teachers, for example, have expressed concern that combative political dynamics at the national level contribute to incivility or hostile conflicts between students (Rogers et al., 2017). There is some evidence that polarization and partisan antipathy are impacting youths’ political attitudes; for example, in their study of eighth graders’ attitudes regarding the 2016 US presidential election, Anderson and Zyhowski (2017) found that when students were asked why they supported their preferred candidate, the most common response was a dislike for the opposing candidate.…”