Giving Compass' Take:
- Futurity interviews Dustin Carnahan from Michigan State University's communication department about how much sway presidential debates still hold.
- How can funders support additional research into how people engage with and are influenced by political rhetoric?
- Learn more about strengthening democracy and how you can help.
- Search our Guide to Good for nonprofits focused on democracy in your area.
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While presidential debates are already some of the most anticipated campaign events, this presidential debate comes with additional intrigue after President Joe Biden stepped aside from his reelection campaign.
In a few weeks, vice presidential nominees Governor Tim Walz and Senator J.D. Vance will also debate.
Given the finalized two tickets, along with the earlier access to ballots among voters in many key states—many are left wondering just how much of an impact the presidential debates will actually have.
Dustin Carnahan is an associate professor in the communication department at Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences whose expertise focuses on how people engage with political information and how that engagement influences their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
A Communication Researcher's Insights Into How Much Presidential Debates Still Matter
Q: What has research shown about the effects of presidential debates?
A: Since the first nationally televised presidential debate in 1960—when John F. Kennedy’s careful image management was widely thought, though more recently debated, to have contributed to his election victory over Richard Nixon—scholars have sought to understand how presidential debates influence the electorate.
When it comes to vote choice, research has generally suggested little impact from watching debates. Debate viewers tend to be among the most politically engaged and thereby likely to have their minds made up well before the debate begins. For these people, debates serve largely as a spectator sport, watched mainly to see how one’s preferred candidate performs and with little to no effect on their opinions of the candidates.
That being said, some research has suggested that candidates’ debate performances can impact how favorably they are perceived by voters, which can affect the choices of undecided voters. Additionally, a lopsided debate performance or significant gaffe committed by a candidate can have a lasting effect on candidate evaluations.
Read the full article about presidential debates and political engagement at Futurity.