Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Election posters are a defining mark of campaigns in many countries, with French legislative candidates spending on average over 20% of their campaign communication budget on them alone. This paper addresses the question of the communicational purposes that candidates assign to posters. Drawing on the cognitive psychology, on research in emotion in politics and on visual grammar research, I argue that candidates use posters both (1) to provide factual information and (2) to visually signal their viability in elections. Through content analysis of 256 candidate posters in the 2007 French legislative elections, using a computer software to compare information and visual areas in posters, I find that: (a) all candidates provide some factual information cues (i.e. they want voters to “know” them); however, candidates with high winning potential are significantly more likely to use posters for visual self promotion than information. (b) These same candidates are significantly more likely to signal they possess excellent candidate credentials, through eye contact and photographic choices (enticing voters to “love” them). (c) Candidate eye-contact making in posters significantly increased their vote share in the first round of the 2007 legislative elections (even controlling for incumbency and other high elected office), suggesting that this signaling in poster content is purposive.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Social Dominance Theory by Sidanius and Pratto (1999) assumes the difference between men and women in social dominance orientation (SDO) to be invariant. In fact several studies have shown men to be more social dominance oriented than women across a variety of cultures. However studies on political socialization give ground for the assumption that the link between gender, dominance and social differentiation depends on the impact political socialization. This will be shown by several studies mainly conducted in Germany. Especially results of four probability surveys on group-focus enmity (each n = 2.700) demonstrate gender differences in SDO. But unexpectedly, the results show higher SDO values among women than men. To test the impact of political socialization various variables of different socialization contexts are included in the analyses. Especially differences between East and West German elderly samples are considered to test the impact of different political socializations. Interactions with age and education indicate that the reversed gender gap is found primarily among older, less-educated East German women, while the gender gap with lower dominant women and higher dominant men shows up especially in student samples. These unusual findings reflect a struggle for status on the part of members of a low status group who consider group-based hierarchy as the most promising option to be relatively better-off themselves. We propose to understand the link between social dominance and social differentiation as reflections of different status aspirations which significantly occur during passages of status change.

Publication Type: Paper (prepared oral presentation)
Abstract: This study examines the relationship between the appeal of campaign posters of political candidates and the voting intentions such appeal generate among Nigerian teenagers. It was hypothesised that colourful and less message would generate more voting intentions among the teenagers.200 high school students who were in their teen years were randomly selected and were administered Voting Intention Questionnaire(VIQ). The data generated were analysed with Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The results show that some strong relationships exist between appeal components of campaign poster and the intentions of the teenagers to vote in an election. The study concludes that the strength of a political campaign poster in terms of the appeal such posters have will build intentions to vote and may subsequently lead to actual voting by the electorates and winning an election by a political candidate.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: As a social phenomenon, the disintegration of couples is not easy to be measured. Usually in vital statistics breakups are limited to divorces and only register some kind of information. In this way, we can only know the amount of separations in a certain period of time but we can not easily reconstruct the history of each generation and relate it to other demographic events in the live of the persons. In this paper we analyze the data of the Encuesta Demográfica Retrospectiva in Mexico (EDER) that allows us to analyze all kind of breakups in marital and consensual unions and relate it to other demographic and socioeconomic phenomena. Using this survey we compare the trends of separation in males and females from three generations in Mexico, and through a model of events history analysis we try to identify the main socioeconomic factors that influence the breakup during first unions.

Publication Type: Poster
Abstract: Counting the homeless in Jacksonville, Florida has become a routine practice. This census attempts to produce an accurate population count of people living on the street, staying in shelters or participating in housing programs for the homeless. Over two thousand people in Duval county currently meet this criteria. Major cities across this wealthy nation systematically repeat this process for two main reasons: raising awareness and raising funds. This year also represents a tradition spanning eighteen years of partnership between 50 plus community based organizations collectively represented by The Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition of Jacksonville.
This census analysis is fundamentally evaluation research investigating the effectiveness of homelessness intervention services in Jacksonville. Comparing the data gathered from surveys with participants with the preceding years we can see the benefits and pitfalls of the implementation taken by service providers. In addition, we can demonstrate the shortcomings and suffering due to suspended projects, budget cuts and lack of funding. We can systematically assess the quality of life for the forgotten people in our society. A key factor of the awareness that this analysis hopes to generate in how this information is disseminated throughout the media. The typical working resident of the community with a high school education does not read journals or attend conferences so they rely on local television news and newspapers to report on the state of homelessness. Considering the relationship between awareness and advocacy is important in soliciting support from the community.