Name Recognition Still Matters for Lesser-Known Candidates

Elections often feature unknown candidates, raising questions about how recognition affects support.

Does knowing a candidate's name breed contempt or indifference? Or does it foster affection?

The authors conducted three laboratory experiments to definitively show that name recognition influences voter preferences. Crucially, this effect stems from voters' inferences about viability rather than familiarity or charisma.

However, the study also demonstrates that other cues can override this—incumbency significantly diminishes the impact of being recognized.

To test robustness in a real-world setting, they designed a field experiment involving yard signs and county elections. The findings suggest name recognition remains influential even when candidates are less prominent.