Policy Salience and the Causal Structure of Representation

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Abstract
In earlier research, Cnudde and McCrone (1966) presented a revised version of the Miller and Stokes model of representation, which they contend to be an accurate portrait of the causal processes by which public preferences are translated into roll call votes. Using nonrecursive analytic techniques, we reexamine their thesis and conclude that it is correct. On policy domains that representatives believe to be highly salient to their constituencies, legislators' perceptions are the key linkage mechanism. Conversely, when representatives see a policy domain as relatively less salient, the influence of their perceptions declines.

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