Leading up to the 2020 election, two Texas A&M University political scientists wanted to know how sincere voters considered Joe Biden. The researchers divided statements from the Biden campaign into two types: those that made a pragmatic argument, such as the campaign’s assertion that mass imprisonment hurts the economy; and declarations based in a moral appeal, such as an imperative to make the country’s justice system fairer. Voters then judged how convincing various statements were.
Politicians need to project sincerity: Study suggests that one common strategy works—and another does not
