Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic; 2020 election; American politics; political polarization; demographic variables; party identification
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic was a worldwide phenomenon, with far-reaching consequences in all sectors of society, including the 2020 election. To better understand the implications of this global occurrence, this research examines the extent to which demographic variables influenced public opinions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. This study takes a quantitative approach, analyzing datasets from the 2020 American National Elections Studies (ANES). It examines demographic, socioeconomic, and political factors as independent variables, with dependent variables that capture attitudes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. I hypothesized that there would be a strong relationship between party identification and COVID-19 attitudes. This study found that the strongest relationships were when the independent variables were either party identification or ideology, followed closely by race, or furthermore when the dependent variable was a topic of such political contention during the pandemic (such as President Trump’s handling of the pandemic, the importance of science as a decision-making factor, or the risks of the COVID-19 vaccination). These findings suggest that party identification and ideological leanings played a significant role in shaping public attitudes toward COVID-19. The results align with existing literature highlighting the polarization of public health discourse along partisan lines in the United States. Moreover, the data underscores the extent to which political affiliation influences perceptions of scientific authority, risk assessment, and trust in government responses. This research contributes to a broader understanding of how demographic and political factors intersect to shape attitudes during this global crisis, offering insights into the sociopolitical dynamics that emerged in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Spring
Thesis Chair
Knuckey, Jonathan
College
College of Sciences
Department
School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs
Thesis Discipline
Political Science
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Dalbec, Shelby K., "The Effects of Demographic Variables on COVID-19 Attitudes Surrounding the 2020 Election" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 352.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/352
Rights Statement
