Peer-reviewed article
From civic roots to voting booths: Gendered pathways from adolescent motivation to electoral participation in adulthood
2026Lundberg, E., & Abdelzadeh, A.Political Psychology
What is this study about?
The study examines whether political motivations that develop already during adolescence are associated with electoral participation much later in life. Starting from Expectancy–Value Theory, it studies, among other things, political interest, political self-confidence, perceived political knowledge and democratic norms. Through longitudinal data, the same individuals are followed from age 13–16 into adulthood, making it possible to examine whether early motivations matter for actual electoral participation more than a decade later.
What did we find?
Can political motivations formed during adolescence affect whether we vote more than a decade later? The study shows that young people who early saw voting as an important civic duty were more likely to vote as adults. At the same time, the associations looked different for women and men: among women, several early political motivations were linked to later electoral participation, while men's participation was mainly associated with earlier voting and structural background factors. The study thus shows that political motivations shaped already during adolescence can have long-term significance for participation in democracy.
Why does it matter?
Electoral participation is often explained by people's circumstances and resources as adults. The study shows that part of the explanation may need to be sought much earlier in life. Motivations and notions of citizenship that develop during adolescence can matter for participation much later. Moreover, since the associations differ between women and men, the pathways to political participation are not the same for everyone. The results therefore underline the importance of understanding adolescence as a key period in the development of future democratic participation.
Citation
Lundberg, E., & Abdelzadeh, A. (2026) From civic roots to voting booths: Gendered pathways from adolescent motivation to electoral participation in adulthood. Political Psychology 47(2)
Research area
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