Political Systems, the News Media, and the Integrative Complexity of Politicians

• In Event: Comparative Perspectives in Political Communication Research

Abstract

Politicians operate at different levels of Integrative Complexity (IC), which is a measure of their tendency to differentiate and integrate multiple perspectives of issues into their communications. While it is prevalent to view IC as a reflection of politicians' inherent thinking styles, this study presents evidence that complexity of rhetoric is a strategic communicative resource, utilized by politicians in response to constraints imposed on them by political systems. By analyzing complexity in speeches of Members of Parliament in Israel and Canada (N=71), it is shown that among Israeli politicians, who operate in a highly “mediated” political environment, individual dependence on the news media promotes simple rhetoric, while for Canadian politicians, who are less dependent on the news media and pay closer attention to their parties and constituencies, this effect vanishes. It is concluded that politicians adopt simplicity into their rhetoric when their political system renders it politically beneficial to them.

Authors

• Eran Amsalem, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

• Tamir Sheafer, Hebrew U of Jerusalem

• Stefaan Walgrave, University of Antwerp