Voter Psychology
Maslow hierarchy, pain points, and influence channels
Voter Psychology - Maslow Hierarchy Applied to Political Behavior
From b13-voter-psychology-influence-methodology
- - Unemployment (intensity 5)
- - Debt (intensity 5)
- - Agricultural distress (intensity 5)
- - Drug addiction (intensity 5)
- - Health crisis (intensity 4)
- - Law & order (intensity 5)
- - Caste recognition (intensity 4)
- - Dera networks
- - Family honor politics
- - Dignity politics
- - Development credit-claiming
- - Representation promises
- - Youth aspirations
- - Education access
- - Social justice reform
Pain Points - Intensity Matrix
From b13-voter-psychology-influence-methodology
THE defining issue in rural Malwa
Very High - youth desperation
Very High - agrarian crisis
Growing - central Punjab groundwater depletion
High - medical costs impoverish families
High - aspirational families
Influence Channel Effectiveness Matrix
From b13-voter-psychology-influence-methodology
| Channel | Reach | Efficacy | Punjab Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dera Networks | High | Very High (bloc vote delivery) | Force multipliers for bloc votes |
| Family Chains | High | Very High | Critical - family elder endorsement |
| Door-to-Door | Low | Highest | Critical in rural constituencies |
| High | Medium | Wide but unmeasurable | |
| Religious Networks | High | High | Gurudwara committees, SGPC influence |
| Public Meetings (Juloos) | Medium | High | Election standard |
| Temple/Market Visits | High | High | High - religious places, haats |
| Phone Banking | Medium | Medium | Scalable to large voter bases |
Messenger Credibility Framework
From b13-voter-psychology-influence-methodology
Bloc vote transfer
Sikh community (SGPC)
Critical in conservative households
Traditional voting patterns
Personal reputation, same background
Selective groups
Voting Behavior Theories - Punjab Application
From b32-voting-behavior-theories-models
Social determinism - caste, religion, occupation shape voting
Application: Caste voting blocs, dera networks, party identification
Party ID + candidate image + issues (funnel of causality)
Application: AAP's candidate image overcame Congress party ID in 2022
Economic cost-benefit, retrospective voting
Application: Anti-incumbency punishment for perceived failures on drugs, jobs
Cognitive limits, heuristics, mental shortcuts
Application: Party loyalty as simplifying heuristic, symbol-based voting
Voter Turnout Barriers
From b14-microtargeting-turnout-contact-framework
All politicians same, learned helplessness
Transport, elderly, disabled access to booths
Name not on list, wrong booth assignment
Paid voting, opportunity cost of a day's wages
Family opposition, caste panchayat directives
Rain, summer heat, festival conflicts
Multiple elections, date confusion
Booth capturing threats, cash-for-vote