Rational Voters and Emotional Voters: Analysis of Socio-Psychological Factors in Voting Behavior in the 2024 Presidential Election
Robby Hunawa, Jefri Polinggapo · Public Policy Journal · 2025
The 2024 Presidential Election in Indonesia reflects the increasingly complex dynamics of democracy, marked by the increasing role of social media, identity-based campaigns, and candidate personalization. This study aims to analyze the socio-psychological factors that influence voting behavior, identify the characteristics of rational and emotional voters, and examine the implications of the dominance of emotional behavior on the quality of electoral democracy. The approach used is a mixed-method, through a quantitative survey of young voters as well as in-depth interviews and analysis of digital campaign content. The results of the study show that factors such as identity affiliation, emotional closeness to candidates, and the intensity of social media exposure play a significant role in shaping voting behavior. Rational voters tend to consider the track record and work programs of candidates, while emotional voters are more influenced by symbolism, emotional narratives, and personal perceptions. These findings indicate that the dominance of emotional behavior in elections has the potential to weaken the quality of electoral democracy because political decisions are often not based on informative rational considerations. This study recommends the importance of increasing political literacy, especially among young voters, as well as the development of more ethical and educational political communication strategies to strengthen the foundations of a healthy democracy that is oriented towards quality leadership.