The abuse of entrusted power for personal gain can warp politics and harm society. It may taint institutions, reduce public trust in politicians and government agencies, or prompt calls for reforms and stronger safeguards. Historical scandals, like Watergate or Iran-Contra, have had lasting effects, reshaping the public discourse about corruption and influencing political leadership.
Political scandal is a dynamic force in the life of any democracy, but how do we understand its causes and consequences? This Special Issue draws on research in various disciplines to explore the nuances of political scandal and its effects. The articles in this volume use a variety of methodologies and theoretical frameworks, including social psychology, communication science, and political science. They examine how political scandals are generated, how they are framed and reported in the media, and how they impact public perception and behavior.
A well-known characteristic of political scandals is that they often arise from polarization. Politicians and other actors with power have incentives to manipulate what is framed as a scandal in order to influence public debate and smear competitors. The more extreme the ideological split between parties is, the more the aligned party will try to protect its politician from accusations of misconduct and the opposing side will be willing to throw baseless accusations at him or her.
In addition, the way a political scandal is reported in the media has a large influence on its perceived seriousness and legitimacy. For example, experiments show that when a news item is about a small norm transgression, people tend to evaluate the scandal as less serious than when it involves a larger sum of money.