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Google Insights and U.S. Senate Elections: Does Search Traffic Provide a Valid Measure of Public Attention to Political Candidates?
Author(s) -
Swearingen C. Douglas,
Ripberger Joseph T.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
social science quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.482
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1540-6237
pISSN - 0038-4941
DOI - 10.1111/ssqu.12075
Subject(s) - measure (data warehouse) , politics , ordinary least squares , public opinion , the internet , political science , computer science , data science , econometrics , economics , data mining , law , world wide web
Objective To propose a new indicator of public attention to electoral candidates based on the relative pattern of Internet queries for opposing candidates. Methods To demonstrate the validity of this measure, we use ordinary least squares regression and an F ‐ratio test. Results We find that this measure, based on Google Insights data, behaves in a manner consistent with a valid measure of public attention. Moreover, this finding holds when the measure is included in a standard model used to explain U.S. Senate election outcomes. Conclusion The Google Insights measure of relative public attention shows the shifts in public attention as the campaign is waged and is consistent with how we would expect to see such a measure behave. This research opens numerous avenues for research in the campaigns and elections subfield.