Author's Department/Program
Political Science
Language
English (en)
Date of Award
Spring 4-17-2014
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Chair and Committee
Elizabeth M Penn
Abstract
In this dissertation, I present three models of communication in collective choice environments. The first two models demonstrate how collective choice procedures provide opportunities for informed communicators to manipulate outcomes by strategically obfuscating information to appeal to different coalitions at different times. Paradoxically, the members of the collective choice institution are often better off gathering no information at all rather than relying on an expert who manipulates outcomes in this way. The final chapter characterizes the incentives of candidates to reveal information about their preferences to voters in an election when multiple policy issues are at stake. I show that candidates can credibly reveal directional information about their preferences but will leave the voters uncertain about which candidate is more extreme.
Recommended Citation
Schnakenberg, Keith Evan, "Communication in Collective Choice Environments" (2014). All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs). 1260.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/etd/1260
Comments
Permanent URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.7936/K7CN7214