Expressive Political Behaviour : Foundations , Scope and Implications

A growing literature has focussed attention on ‘expressive’ rather than ‘instrumental’ behaviour in political settings, particularly voting. A common criticism of the expressive idea is that it is rather ad hoc and lacking in both predictive and normative bite. We agree that no clear definition of expressive behaviour has gained wide acceptence to date, and no detailed understanding of the range of foundations of specific expressive motivations has emerged. In response, we provide a foundational discussion and definition of expressive behaviour that accounts for a range of factors. We also discuss the content of expressive choice distinguishing between identity-based, moral, and social cases, and relate this more general account to the specific theories of expressive choice in the literature. Finally, we discuss the normative and institutional implications of expressive behaviour.