How Dispositional Empathy Influences Political Ambition

@article{Clifford2019HowDE,
  title={How Dispositional Empathy Influences Political Ambition},
  author={Scott Clifford and Justin H. Kirkland and Elizabeth N. Simas},
  journal={The Journal of Politics},
  year={2019},
  volume={81},
  pages={1043 - 1056}
}
Political representation is fundamentally about advancing the needs and interests of others. Empathy—the ability to share others’ feelings and perspectives—ought to be a critical skill for effective representation. Yet the conflict, negativity, and competition that are endemic to politics may prevent empathetic individuals from seeking office. Using an original national survey with an oversample of people who have run for office, we explore how citizens’ dispositional empathy influences… 
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