voting behaviour

• What does class dealignment describe?

  Voting for traditional parties has decreased
• How do market researchers define class?

  According to occupation, linked to other factors
• What percentage of the middle class voted Conservative between 1945 and 1970?

  66%
• What percentage of the working class voted Labour between 1945 and 1970?

  62%
• What has caused the decline of the traditional working class?

  Shift from heavy industry to service industries
• What has led many in class C2 to think of themselves as middle class?

  Increased standards of living and home ownership
• How has the middle class expanded in recent years?

  More employed in modestly paid jobs
• Which party has taken many working class voters away from Labour?

  UKIP
• What has caused working class voters in Scotland to move to the SNP?

  Nationalism equated with socialism during campaigns
• What is class alignment?

  Commitment of a social class to a party
• How has class alignment changed in recent decades?

  It has fallen, but some evidence remains
• What is class identification?

  Extent of self-identification with a social class
• Why has class identification diminished?

  People moving between classes and aspirational views
• What does Neal Lawson claim about societal changes?

  People identify more by consumption than production
• How did the 1980s affect Labour's appeal?

  Class loyalty diminished, impacting Labour negatively
• What percentage of voters declared themselves "class-free" in 2005?

  60%
• What is political apathy?

  Indifference towards political activities and responsibilities
• What can cause political apathy?

  Lack of understanding of politics and government
• How is political apathy measured?

  Through citizens' knowledge and political involvement
• Why is political apathy an issue?

  It hinders a nation's development and laws
• What distinguishes apathy from abstention?

  Apathy is indifference; abstention is deliberate
• What is non-participation?

  Absence of citizens from the political process
• What is the central measure of non-participation?

  Turnout of registered voters
• What does voting behaviour study aim to understand?

  Why people vote for different political parties
• What are the two types of influences on voting behaviour?

  Long-term and short-term influences
• What are political psychologists studying regarding voting behaviour?

  How attitudes and beliefs about politics are formed
• What did the 2015 election reveal about opinion polls?

  They were wildly inaccurate in predictions
• What are access points in political systems?

  Places where pressure groups exert influence
• How do access points vary between political systems?

  Fewer in the UK than in the USA
• How have access points for UK pressure groups changed recently?

  Increased due to EU integration and devolved assemblies
• Who are the favoured access points in the UK?

  Ministers, closest to decision-making
• How can pressure groups influence Parliament?

  Through MPs, especially during elections
• What is the role of courts in pressure group lobbying?

  Pressure groups can bring cases to make points
• What is the media's role in pressure group influence?

  Final target when other means fail
• How are devolved assemblies targeted by pressure groups?

  On issues within their authority
• How do pressure groups lobby the EU?

  When EU has policy area responsibility
• What is the significance of the General Election of 1983?

  Low-point for Labour and rise of Thatcher
• Who were the key figures in the General Election of 1983?

  Margaret Thatcher and Michael Foot
• What was notable about the SDP in the 1983 election?

  Impressive vote share but few seats won
• What was the outcome of the General Election of 1983?

  Conservative landslide victory, Labour losses