Opinion Polls and Presidential Candidate's use of Persuasive Messages During the 2016 Election

• In Event: New Research on the 2016 American Presidential Election

Abstract

The use of digital technologies by political campaigns have been a topic of scholarly concern for over two decades, but most studies have been focused on analyzing the use of digital platforms without considering contextual factors of the race, like public opinion polling data. Opinion polls are an important information source for citizens and candidates, and provide the latter with information that might drive strategic communication. In this paper, we explore the relationship between the use of social media in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections and candidates' standing in public opinion polls, focusing on the surfacing and primary stages of the campaign. We use automated content analysis to categorize social media posts from all 21 Republican and Democratic candidates. Results indicate that a candidate’s performance in the polls drive certain communicative strategies, such as the use of messages of attacks and advocacy, as well as the focus on personal image.

Authors

• Patricia G. C. Rossini, School of Information Studies, Syracuse U

• Jeff Hemsley, Syracuse U

• Sikana Tanupabrungsun, Syracuse U

• Feifei Zhang, Syracuse U

• Jennifer Stromer-Galley, Syracuse U