MU students defy political stereotypes
Ida Lieszkovszky
Issue date: 10/28/08 Section: Front Page
Trying to guess who someone is voting for based on demographics is turning out to be a futile pastime this election season.
African-American men are voting for Republican Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and white middle class women are switching political parties to vote for Democratic Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).
Yet, people still try to predict political alliance based on demographics.
People tend to stereotype both the voting population and the candidates to simplify things and save mental energy, said Allen McConnell, psychology professor at Miami University and an expert on stereotyping and prejudice.
"When we know less about a situation, we tend to rely on the stereotypes more," McConnell said. "We tend to paint with broad strokes. We tend to take mental shortcuts."
Because this election is focusing so much on change, McConnell said the usual groupings are being turned upside-down and both parties struggle with their usual core constituencies.
Wearing jeans, pink flip-flops and a baseball cap with her sorority's letters, Erin Krumm confessed that she is the typical "Miami girl." An Obama button glistens from the side of her canvas tote. Krumm is a political science major and until recently, she was a Republican.
"Now I don't know what I am," Krumm said. "I feel like I can't go back to College Republicans next semester, after all this. That's what I was going to plan on doing. I'm not a Democrat so I can't be in College Democrats. What am I? I'm a political science major, I have to be in something. It's my career. But I'm neither right now."
Krumm is a part of the elusive group of people that dare to cross party lines in an increasingly divided election. Krumm said she thinks Obama is a more unifying figure, one she easily identifies with. In fact, she has already cast her vote for the Democratic presidential hopeful. But she cannot let go of her politically conservative past.
"I was active in College Republicans last year," Krumm said. "I feel like I'm betraying a lot of people in a lot of ways-family, friends, friends here."
African-American men are voting for Republican Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and white middle class women are switching political parties to vote for Democratic Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).
Yet, people still try to predict political alliance based on demographics.
People tend to stereotype both the voting population and the candidates to simplify things and save mental energy, said Allen McConnell, psychology professor at Miami University and an expert on stereotyping and prejudice.
"When we know less about a situation, we tend to rely on the stereotypes more," McConnell said. "We tend to paint with broad strokes. We tend to take mental shortcuts."
Because this election is focusing so much on change, McConnell said the usual groupings are being turned upside-down and both parties struggle with their usual core constituencies.
Wearing jeans, pink flip-flops and a baseball cap with her sorority's letters, Erin Krumm confessed that she is the typical "Miami girl." An Obama button glistens from the side of her canvas tote. Krumm is a political science major and until recently, she was a Republican.
"Now I don't know what I am," Krumm said. "I feel like I can't go back to College Republicans next semester, after all this. That's what I was going to plan on doing. I'm not a Democrat so I can't be in College Democrats. What am I? I'm a political science major, I have to be in something. It's my career. But I'm neither right now."
Krumm is a part of the elusive group of people that dare to cross party lines in an increasingly divided election. Krumm said she thinks Obama is a more unifying figure, one she easily identifies with. In fact, she has already cast her vote for the Democratic presidential hopeful. But she cannot let go of her politically conservative past.
"I was active in College Republicans last year," Krumm said. "I feel like I'm betraying a lot of people in a lot of ways-family, friends, friends here."
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