The Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Predict Electoral Decision-Making in 2008 Italian Political Campaign

This contribution applies the social judgment based on warmth and competence in the Italian political context (2008 electoral campaign; N = 625), by integrating insights coming from the literature on the Big Two and on the dual cognition theories. It aims at identifying how the evaluations toward leaders and parties (in terms of assigned warmth and competence, and ingroup/ outgroup perception) predict the electoral decision-making. Furthermore, we test the hypothesis that the evaluations of the opposite party (group) and leader (group member) differ. The results are discussed considering the relationship between the Big Two and the following social evaluations and behaviors, in terms of intergroup competition and dual cognitive processes, the peculiar Italian political context and its increasing level of political personalization.