STANFORD UNIVERSITY — Voting is a constitutional right, a civic
duty and – perhaps most importantly – a way to change or
maintain the political landscape. But many people don’t vote,
even when the stakes are high. So Stanford psychologists have
found a way to motivate them – by making them see voting as an
expression of who they are. In a paper slated for publication
this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, the researchers found that people are 13 percent more
likely to cast a ballot if a subtle change in the wording of a
few questions makes them focus on themselves as a voter rather
than thinking of voting as an Election Day task. “Being a voter
is seen as a way to be a good or valued person in our society,”
said Christopher Bryan, a postdoctoral psychology researcher and
lead author of the paper. “And one of the core motivations in
life is to feel like we’re good and worthwhile. So when voting
is framed as an indication of the kind of person you are, it’s
likely to feel more meaning