Do Stereotypes Favor Majority Candidates More Than Oppose Minority Ones?

Voters' Positive Stereotypes Drive Election Outcomes

This study challenges the assumption that stereotypes only harm minority candidates. Using an original survey experiment in Italy, we find positive stereotypes of majority candidates play a significant role in electoral favoritism—especially among right-wing voters.

Data & Methods

Survey-based moderation-of-process experiment conducted across Italian voting districts with representative voter samples.

Key Findings

• Stereotypes explain less than 10% of discrimination against immigrant-origin candidates
• Voters show strong positive bias toward majority candidates, reserving electoral benefits for them
• This effect is concentrated among right-wing citizens despite holding negative stereotypes about minority candidates

Why It Matters

These findings reveal a more nuanced role for stereotypes in elections—simultaneously explaining favoritism and hindering anti-discrimination policies. Electoral competition dynamics may be influenced by subtle, unexamined biases rather than overt prejudice.