Lose the Label: Messaging Effects on Democrats’ Perceptions of Individuals with Criminal Records & Representation

• In Event: Social Welfare Policy

Abstract

During the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Democratic campaign advertisements frequently labeled Trump as a “convicted criminal,” invoking stigmatizing language with empirically known, negative consequences for public perceptions of individuals with criminal records. Leaning upon social categorization theory, propagating such labels on Trump may thereby spillover, impacting constituents’ perspectives of individuals with records more broadly. To test for the possibility of stigmatizing language spillover, this study employs a survey experiment testing exposure to the Party’s advertisement, labeling Trump as a “convicted criminal” (n=814) relative to no advertisement (n=813), on Democrats’ perceptions of individuals with records and several dimensions of perceived representation. More specifically, the outcomes were as follows, each of which measured on one or more seven-point Likert scale questions: a) perceptions of individuals with criminal records (index from five questions, Cronbach's alpha = 0.71 with supplemental analyses given acceptable but moderate reliability); b) perceived value of representation (one question); c) perceived quality of Democratic representation in government (index from three question, Cronbach's alpha = 0.90); d) complexity of representation (one question); e) motives of elected officials (index of four questions, Cronbach's alpha = 0.90); and f) advertisement support (index from two questions, Cronbach's alpha = 0.80). Results suggest that exposure to the Trump advertisement with the “convicted criminal” label had significant, negative impacts on Democrats’ perceptions of individuals with records, but improved perceived feelings of representation. Importantly, the effect of a counter-stereotype’s ability to mitigate these effects was also tested, randomly assigning some participants to receive the perspective of a formerly system-involved state representative before the advertisement (n=812). Findings suggest that the counter-stereotype vastly ameliorated the negative effects of the advertisement on Democrats’ perceptions of individuals with criminal records and significantly reduced support for use of the advertisement. Supplemental results suggest that the effects of exposure to the advertisement and also the counter-stereotype before the advertisement were heterogeneous, such that effects were relatively stronger for those who identified as being system-impacted themselves - highlighting the potential for both greater propensity to internalize stigma and the propensity of counter-stereotypes to differentially bolster positive perceptions. Results support the recommendation that political messaging should elevate dedicated, justice-involved voices within the party rather than rely on stigmatizing attacks, which risk reinforcing inequities without meaningfully advancing support for the Party.

Author

• Jessie Harney, Colorado State University
  Presenting Author