Enthusiasm and anxiety shape voting through different mechanisms, not equally.

Evidence

We shall show that anxiety and enthusiasm play importantly different roles in the voting decision. In particular, the data indicate that enthusiasm directly affects voting preference (reflecting something very close to the voting decision itself), while anxiety has practically no direct impact on choice. Equally important for our point of view, anxiety appears to give voters pause—to get voters to base their decision on candidate characteristics or campaign information rather than merely stick with their “standing choice.” — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 1699 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Positive campaigns suppress deliberation while anxiety-inducing ones promote it. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology: Key Readings, 1747; Anxiety drives careful attention while enthusiasm drives emotional involvement. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology: Key Readings, 1741; Anxiety shifts voters from party loyalty to contemporary candidate evaluations. (+10 more)

Broader Connections

• Enthusiasm drives vote choice directly while anxiety only triggers reconsideration #expands (0.92) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 1699