The article discusses the emergence of 'affective appeal' as a significant factor in the electability of political candidates, even those who are untrustworthy or lack compassion. A study developed a valid scale to measure affective appeal, revealing traits correlated with Machiavellianism, narcissism, and skepticism towards expertise. This new construct challenges traditional norms that prioritize leaders' trustworthiness and empathy, indicating that voters may valuate emotional connection over factual integrity in candidate appeal.
"How is affective appeal measured? I conducted a study that describes the development of a reliable, valid, seven-item scale for measuring affective appeal with a representative U.S. sample."
"It's okay when leaders whom I really like make claims or assertions not borne out by the facts; the way they say something is far more important to me than the specifics."
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