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EnglandPoliticsQuick questions
Component 1: UK Politics and Core Political Ideas
Quick questions on Voting behaviour and the media - Edexcel A-Level Politics Component 1
4short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is the case that the media are powerful?Show answer
The partisan press can reinforce loyalties and mobilise supporters (the Sun's "It's the Sun wot won it" claim after 1992); election campaigns and televised leaders' debates shape perceptions of competence; and opinion polls frame the contest and may influence turnout and tactical voting. Social media now allows targeted campaigning that can drive turnout among specific groups.
What is the case that the media are limited?Show answer
The reinforcement theory holds that media mainly reinforce existing views rather than change them, because people choose outlets that match their beliefs; voters increasingly draw on diverse online sources beyond any single paper; and structural factors (the economy, leadership, dealignment) outweigh media effects. Polls also get it wrong (notably in 2015 and 1992), undermining the idea that they decide outcomes.
What is q1?Show answer
Explain and analyse three factors, other than class, that influence voting behaviour. [9 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Evaluate the view that long-term factors are no longer important in explaining UK voting behaviour. [30 marks]
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