Research | Jennifer Wolak

Political psychology

Compromise

Wolak, Jennifer. 2020. Compromise in an Age of Party Polarization. New York: Oxford University Press.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2022. The Social Foundations of Public Support for Political Compromise. The Forum 20(1):193-215.

Emotion

Wolak, Jennifer, and Anand Sokhey. 2022. Enraged and Engaged? Emotions as Motives for Discussing Politics. American Politics Research 50(2):186-198.
MacKuen, Michael, Jennifer Wolak, Luke Keele, and George Marcus. 2010. Civic Engagements: Resolute Partisanship or Reflective Deliberation. American Journal of Political Science 54:440-458.
Wolak, Jennifer, and George E. Marcus. 2007. Personality and Emotional Response: Strategic and Tactical Responses to Changing Political Circumstances. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 614:172-195.

Self-esteem, self-confidence, personality traits

Stapleton, Carey E., and Jennifer Wolak. Forthcoming. Political Self-Confidence and Affective Polarization. Public Opinion Quarterly.
Stapleton, Carey, Jacob Oliver, and Jennifer Wolak. 2023. The Political Consequences of an Optimistic Personality. Political Behavior 45:585–606.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2022. Conflict Avoidance and Gender Gaps in Political Engagement. Political Behavior 44:133–156.
Baird, Vanessa, and Jennifer Wolak. 2021. Why Some Blame Politics for Their Personal Problems. American Politics Research 49(5): 478-489.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2020. Self-Confidence and Gender Gaps in Political Interest, Attention, and Efficacy. Journal of Politics 82(4):1490-1501.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Carey E. Stapleton. 2020. Self-Esteem and the Development of Partisan Identity. Political Research Quarterly 73(3):609-622.

Ambivalence

Keele, Luke, and Jennifer Wolak. 2008. Contextual Sources of Ambivalence. Political Psychology 29:653-673.
Keele, Luke, and Jennifer Wolak. 2006. Value Conflict and Volatility in Party Identification. British Journal of Political Science 36:671-690.

procedural justice & LEGITIMACY

Doherty, David, and Jennifer Wolak. 2012. When Do the Ends Justify the Means? Evaluating Procedural Fairness. Political Behavior 34(2):301-323.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2014. How Campaigns Promote the Legitimacy of Elections. Electoral Studies 34:205-215.

Patriotism

Wolak, Jennifer, and Ryan Dawkins. 2017. The Roots of Patriotism across Political Contexts. Political Psychology 38:391-408.

Political socialization

Wolak, Jennifer. 2020. Self-Confidence and Gender Gaps in Political Interest, Attention, and Efficacy. Journal of Politics 82(4):1490-1501.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Carey E. Stapleton. 2020. Self-Esteem and the Development of Partisan Identity. Political Research Quarterly 73(3):609-622.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2009. Explaining Change in Party Identification in Adolescence. Electoral Studies 28:573-583.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Michael McDevitt. 2011. The Roots of the Gender Gap in Political Knowledge in Adolescence. Political Behavior 33(3):505-533.

Public opinion

Affective polarization and party identification

Stapleton, Carey E., and Jennifer Wolak. Forthcoming. Political Self-Confidence and Affective Polarization. Public Opinion Quarterly.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2023. How Political Content in Us Weekly Can Reduce Polarized Affect Toward Elected Officials. PS: Political Science & Politics 56(4):525-530.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Carey E. Stapleton. 2020. Self-Esteem and the Development of Partisan Identity. Political Research Quarterly 73(3):609-622.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Andrea McAtee. 2013. Parties in the Public Eye. State Politics and Policy Quarterly 13:398-421.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2009. Explaining Change in Party Identification in Adolescence. Electoral Studies 28:573-583.
Keele, Luke, and Jennifer Wolak. 2006. Value Conflict and Volatility in Party Identification. British Journal of Political Science 36:671-690.

Macropolitics

Wolak, Jennifer, and David A.M. Peterson. 2020. The Dynamic American Dream. American Journal of Political Science 64(4):968-981.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Christine Kelleher Palus. 2010. The Dynamics of Public Confidence in U.S. State and Local Government. State Politics and Policy Quarterly 10(4):421-445.

Opinions, knowledge and participation in subnational government

Wolak, Jennifer, and Srinivas Parinandi. 2022.Does the Public Hold Governors Accountable for Policy Outcomes? Political Research Quarterly 75(4):1051–1064.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2020. Why Do People Trust their State Government? State Politics and Policy Quarterly 20(3): 313-329.
Langehennig, Stefani, Joseph Zamadics, and Jennifer Wolak. 2019. State Policy Outcomes and State Legislative Approval. Political Research Quarterly 72: 929-943
Wolak, Jennifer. 2018. Feelings of Political Efficacy in the Fifty States. Political Behavior 40: 763-784.
Jaeger, William P., Jeffrey Lyons, and Jennifer Wolak. 2017. Political Knowledge and Policy Representation in the States. American Politics Research 45:907-938.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2017. Public Expectations of State Legislators. Legislative Studies Quarterly 42(2):175-209.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2016. Core Values and Partisan Thinking about Devolution. Publius 46(4):463-485.
Fitzgerald, Jennifer, and Jennifer Wolak. 2016. The Roots of Trust in Local Government in Western Europe. International Political Science Review 37:13 -146.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Andrea McAtee. 2013. Parties in the Public Eye. State Politics and Policy Quarterly 13:398-421.
Lyons, Jeffrey, William P. Jaeger, and Jennifer Wolak. 2013. The Roots of Citizens' Knowledge of State Politics. State Politics and Policy Quarterly 13:183-202.
McAtee, Andrea, and Jennifer Wolak. 2011. Why People Decide to Participate in State Politics. Political Research Quarterly 64:45-58.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Christine Kelleher Palus. 2010. The Dynamics of Public Confidence in U.S. State and Local Government. State Politics and Policy Quarterly 10(4): 421-445.
Kelleher, Christine, and Jennifer Wolak. 2007. Explaining Public Confidence in the Branches of State Government Political Research Quarterly 60:707-721.

Political knowledge

Wolak, Jennifer, and Eric Gonzalez Juenke. 2021. Descriptive Representation and Political Knowledge. Politics, Groups, & Identities 9(1):129-150.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2020. Descriptive Representation and the Political Engagement of Women. Politics and Gender 16(2):339-362.
Jaeger, William P., Jeffrey Lyons, and Jennifer Wolak. 2017. Political Knowledge and Policy Representation in the States. American Politics Research 45: 907-938.
Lyons, Jeffrey, William P. Jaeger, and Jennifer Wolak. 2013. The Roots of Citizens' Knowledge of State Politics. State Politics and Policy Quarterly 13:183-202.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Michael McDevitt. 2011. The Roots of the Gender Gap in Political Knowledge in Adolescence. Political Behavior 33(3): 505-533.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2009. The Consequences of Concurrent Campaigns for Citizen Knowledge of Congressional Candidates. Political Behavior 31: 211-229.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2006. The Consequences of Presidential Battleground Strategies for Citizen Engagement. Political Research Quarterly 59:353-361.

Age of politicians

Roberts, Damon C., and Jennifer Wolak. 2023. Do Voters Care about the Age of their Elected Representatives? 45:1959–1978. Political Behavior.

Gender and politics

Wolak, Jennifer. Forthcoming. Partisan Bias and Evaluations of Women in Congress. Politics, Groups, and Identities.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2022. Conflict Avoidance and Gender Gaps in Political Engagement. Political Behavior 44:133-156.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2020. Self-Confidence and Gender Gaps in Political Interest, Attention, and Efficacy. Journal of Politics 82(4):1490-1501.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2020. Descriptive Representation and the Political Engagement of Women. Politics and Gender 16(2):339-362.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2015. Candidate Gender and the Political Engagement of Women and Men. American Politics Research 43:872-896.
Wolak, Jennifer, and Michael McDevitt. 2011. The Roots of the Gender Gap in Political Knowledge in Adolescence. Political Behavior 33(3):505-533.

Campaign effects

Wolak, Jennifer. 2014. How Campaigns Promote the Legitimacy of Elections. Electoral Studies 34:205-215.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2009. The Consequences of Concurrent Campaigns for Citizen Knowledge of Congressional Candidates. Political Behavior 31: 211-229.
Keele, Luke, and Jennifer Wolak. 2008. Contextual Sources of Ambivalence. Political Psychology 29:653-673.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2006. The Consequences of Presidential Battleground Strategies for Citizen Engagement. Political Research Quarterly 59:353-361.

Political communication

Fogarty, Brian, and Jennifer Wolak. 2009. The Effects of Media Interpretation for Citizen Evaluations of Politicians' Messages. American Politics Research 37:129-154.
Kelleher, Christine, and Jennifer Wolak. 2006. Priming Presidential Approval: The Conditionality of Issue Effects. Political Behavior 28:193-210.

Congress and state legislatures

Langehennig, Stefani, Joseph Zamadics, and Jennifer Wolak. 2019. State Policy Outcomes and State Legislative Approval. Political Research Quarterly 72:929-943.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2017. Public Expectations of State Legislators. Legislative Studies Quarterly 42(2):175-209.
Wolak, Jennifer. 2007. Strategic Retirements: The Influence of Public Preferences on Voluntary Departures from Congress. Legislative Studies Quarterly 32:285-308.
Bernstein, Jeffrey L., and Jennifer Wolak. 2002. A Bicameral Perspective on Legislative Retirement: The Case of the Senate. Political Research Quarterly 55:375-390.

Interest groups

Lowery, David, Virginia Gray, Jennifer Wolak, Erik Godwin, and Whitt Kilburn. 2005. Reconsidering the Countermobilization Hypothesis: Health Policy Lobbying in the American States. Political Behavior 27:99-132.
Gray, Virginia, David Lowery, and Jennifer Wolak. 2004. Demographic Opportunities, Collective Action, Competitive Exclusion, and the Crowded Room: Lobbying Forms among Institutions. State Politics and Policy Quarterly 4:18-54.
Wolak, Jennifer, Adam J. Newmark, Todd McNoldy, David Lowery, and Virginia Gray. 2002. Much of Politics is Still Local: Multi-State Lobbying in State Interest Communities. Legislative Studies Quarterly 27:527-555.
Wolak, Jennifer, David Lowery, and Virginia Gray. 2001. California Dreaming: Replicating the ESA Model, Unusual Cases, and Comparative State Political Analysis. State Politics and Policy Quarterly 1:255-272.