The impact of group identity on coalition formation

Bargaining and coalition building are a central part of modern politics. We argue that majoritarian bargaining is important for the formation of coalitions and that group-identity preferences have an impact on partner selection. We tested the effect of gender, race, and ideological distance in a maj...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Denise Laroze, David Hugh-Jones, Arndt Leininger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2020-11-01
Series:Research & Politics
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2053168020967488
Description
Summary:Bargaining and coalition building are a central part of modern politics. We argue that majoritarian bargaining is important for the formation of coalitions and that group-identity preferences have an impact on partner selection. We tested the effect of gender, race, and ideological distance in a majority-rule bargaining experiment and found that ideological distance significantly affected the likelihood and amount offered to potential partners. We concluded that formateurs are not necessarily purely rational actors pursuing policy goals and/or the benefits of office. Rather, they also care about the identity of their partners, preferring others who are like themselves.
ISSN:2053-1680