Unexpectedly High Political Responsiveness Outside Candidates' Own Districts

Behavioral economists have long argued that extrinsic motivations crowd out intrinsic ones in political contexts.

In Swiss Elections, Intrinsic Motivation Drives Constituency Work

Researchers studied federal elections in Switzerland to understand what drives legislators to engage with voters.

They found:

• High Response Rates: 66% of candidates responded to requests from everyone — even voters outside their own district (59%). This suggests strong intrinsic motivation for constituency work across all voter groups.
• Electoral Competition Matters Most Inside Districts

Candidates facing high electoral competition were more responsive to voters in their districts. This counterintuitive finding indicates that extrinsic motivations play a crucial role — especially when the election is competitive.

These results show:

• The relationship between electoral competition and responsiveness isn't straightforward.
• Intrinsic motivation remains central even with external pressures.