Question

In one of the examples in this chapter, we looked at the effect of electoral systems on the percentage of women in national legislatures, controlling for the level of cultural acceptance of women in leadership positions. In this exercise you will test a hypothesis that electoral systems affect turnout: In a comparison of countries, countries with PR systems will have higher turnouts than will countries that do not have PR systems. Level of economic development is an important control variable, because development, measured as gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, is known to be an alternative cause of voter participation. Therefore, evaluate the electoral system?turnout relationship, controlling for per capita GDP.

Among countries with low per capita GDP, the mean levels of turnout are as follows: non-PR countries, 56.1 percent; PR countries, 69.8 percent. For all low per capita GDP countries, 61.6 percent. Among countries with high GDP per capita: non-PR countries, 66.0 percent; PR countries, 68.5 percent. For all high per capita GDP countries, 67.4 percent. Among all countries, non-PR countries averaged 63.1 percent, and PR countries averaged 68.7 percent. The overall mean, for all countries: 66.0 percent.

A. Construct a mean comparison control table from the information provided. (Numbers of cases are not provided, so the mean comparison control table will only display means.)

B. Decide which pattern—spuriousness, additive, or interaction—best describes the set of relationships. (i) Write out each of the rhetorical questions, introduced in this chapter, that help you determine the pattern. (ii) Write a complete sentence answering each question.

C. Draw a line chart of the electoral system?turnout relationship, controlling for per capita GDP. Enhance the readability of the chart by making 55 percent the lowest vertical axis value and 70 percent the highest vertical axis value.

D. Suppose someone made the following statement: “The results show that economic development is a precondition for the effect of PR systems. Instituting PR in poorer countries will have, at best, modest effects on turnout.” (i) Based on your analysis, is this statement correct or incorrect? (ii) Explain how you know.

Answer 1

A)

GDP	NON PR	PR	TOTAL
LOW	56.1	69.8	61.6
HIGH	66	68.5	67.4
TOTAL	63.1	68.7	66

B) The set of relationship here is interaction type, since we can see that the variation from the group mean is more for low income country and for Non PR country, that is one independent variable (GDP high or low) is affecting the value for another independent variable (PR or not). Simply put, high GDP and non PR has higher mean compared to low GDP and non PR and like wise. Higher GDP and PR affects the result of either group.

C)

D) I think that the statement is not true, since we can see that the mean values of countries having PR is much closer compared to non-PR.