Vittorio Merola
@vittoriomerola.bsky.social
Political scientist at Durham University | Political behaviour, public opinion, political economy, political psychology - anything that helps me understand why people view the world the way they do
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
EHBEA has a shiny new website and it looks lovely 😃
Many thanks to @amrotella.bsky.social for leading EHBEA through this change, with assistance from @pablovarase.bsky.social and @jeannebovet.bsky.social 🙏
Many thanks to @amrotella.bsky.social for leading EHBEA through this change, with assistance from @pablovarase.bsky.social and @jeannebovet.bsky.social 🙏
✨NEW WEBSITE✨
We are finishing the year with a brand new website, so please stop by, have a look, and enjoy the new looks of EHBEA 💫
👇 👇 👇
www.ehbea.org
We are finishing the year with a brand new website, so please stop by, have a look, and enjoy the new looks of EHBEA 💫
👇 👇 👇
www.ehbea.org
EHBEA | Home
European Human Behaviour & Evolution Association
www.ehbea.org
December 12, 2025 at 8:03 AM
EHBEA has a shiny new website and it looks lovely 😃
Many thanks to @amrotella.bsky.social for leading EHBEA through this change, with assistance from @pablovarase.bsky.social and @jeannebovet.bsky.social 🙏
Many thanks to @amrotella.bsky.social for leading EHBEA through this change, with assistance from @pablovarase.bsky.social and @jeannebovet.bsky.social 🙏
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
Over the moon 😍. My paper "Renewing Democracy:
How Exposure to Electoral Turnovers Reinforces Citizens’ Democratic Support" is accepted in World Politics. LINK: osf.io/preprints/os....
First paper fully conceived since my second child was born 4 years ago. For those who know, big milestone.
🧵
1/
How Exposure to Electoral Turnovers Reinforces Citizens’ Democratic Support" is accepted in World Politics. LINK: osf.io/preprints/os....
First paper fully conceived since my second child was born 4 years ago. For those who know, big milestone.
🧵
1/
December 10, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Over the moon 😍. My paper "Renewing Democracy:
How Exposure to Electoral Turnovers Reinforces Citizens’ Democratic Support" is accepted in World Politics. LINK: osf.io/preprints/os....
First paper fully conceived since my second child was born 4 years ago. For those who know, big milestone.
🧵
1/
How Exposure to Electoral Turnovers Reinforces Citizens’ Democratic Support" is accepted in World Politics. LINK: osf.io/preprints/os....
First paper fully conceived since my second child was born 4 years ago. For those who know, big milestone.
🧵
1/
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
1/ Does growing up poor always lead to political apathy?
Very happy to share my first paper published (open access) in @electoralstudies.bsky.social, where I show that parents' influence mitigates the poverty gap in participation, while economic mobility does not.
🔗 shorturl.at/p5Bac
Very happy to share my first paper published (open access) in @electoralstudies.bsky.social, where I show that parents' influence mitigates the poverty gap in participation, while economic mobility does not.
🔗 shorturl.at/p5Bac
December 4, 2025 at 10:54 AM
1/ Does growing up poor always lead to political apathy?
Very happy to share my first paper published (open access) in @electoralstudies.bsky.social, where I show that parents' influence mitigates the poverty gap in participation, while economic mobility does not.
🔗 shorturl.at/p5Bac
Very happy to share my first paper published (open access) in @electoralstudies.bsky.social, where I show that parents' influence mitigates the poverty gap in participation, while economic mobility does not.
🔗 shorturl.at/p5Bac
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
A thread about being wrong:
5 years ago, we wrote a paper about how how newly enfranchised 16-year-olds vote in Austria. But we were wrong.
This year, @elisabethgraf.bsky.social, @schnizzl.bsky.social, Sylvia Kritzinger and I are setting the record straight: authors.elsevier.com/c/1juT5xRaZk...
5 years ago, we wrote a paper about how how newly enfranchised 16-year-olds vote in Austria. But we were wrong.
This year, @elisabethgraf.bsky.social, @schnizzl.bsky.social, Sylvia Kritzinger and I are setting the record straight: authors.elsevier.com/c/1juT5xRaZk...
November 21, 2024 at 6:01 PM
A thread about being wrong:
5 years ago, we wrote a paper about how how newly enfranchised 16-year-olds vote in Austria. But we were wrong.
This year, @elisabethgraf.bsky.social, @schnizzl.bsky.social, Sylvia Kritzinger and I are setting the record straight: authors.elsevier.com/c/1juT5xRaZk...
5 years ago, we wrote a paper about how how newly enfranchised 16-year-olds vote in Austria. But we were wrong.
This year, @elisabethgraf.bsky.social, @schnizzl.bsky.social, Sylvia Kritzinger and I are setting the record straight: authors.elsevier.com/c/1juT5xRaZk...
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
🎙️In this episode, @omarhgallego.bsky.social discusses public opinion and perceptions of migration, the recent migration policies of UK parties, and the politics behind them.
open.spotify.com/episode/4NwR...
open.spotify.com/episode/4NwR...
UK Migration Policies 2025: Public Opinion, Politics, and Policy Alternatives
open.spotify.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:41 AM
🎙️In this episode, @omarhgallego.bsky.social discusses public opinion and perceptions of migration, the recent migration policies of UK parties, and the politics behind them.
open.spotify.com/episode/4NwR...
open.spotify.com/episode/4NwR...
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
November 18, 2025 at 7:16 PM
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
Our study on public immigration misperceptions is out! Prior research overstated their prevalence due to flawed measurement. Our new approach separates real misperceptions from uninformed guessing — showing they’re less common than widely assumed and ideologically motivated.
doi.org/10.1017/psrm...
doi.org/10.1017/psrm...
Beyond innumeracy: measuring public misperceptions about immigration | Political Science Research and Methods | Cambridge Core
Beyond innumeracy: measuring public misperceptions about immigration
doi.org
November 17, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Our study on public immigration misperceptions is out! Prior research overstated their prevalence due to flawed measurement. Our new approach separates real misperceptions from uninformed guessing — showing they’re less common than widely assumed and ideologically motivated.
doi.org/10.1017/psrm...
doi.org/10.1017/psrm...
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
Ever wondered why some countries get recognition while others struggle to be seen?
My book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 is finally out in the world!
📘 academic.oup.com/book/61560
My book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 is finally out in the world!
📘 academic.oup.com/book/61560
The Making of International Status
Abstract. With great power rivalry on the rise again, many worry that struggles for status among states could lead to war. As a growing consensus indicates
academic.oup.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Ever wondered why some countries get recognition while others struggle to be seen?
My book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 is finally out in the world!
📘 academic.oup.com/book/61560
My book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 is finally out in the world!
📘 academic.oup.com/book/61560
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
This article provides a minute-by-minute analysis of how Trump (Granger) causally contributed to violence on J6 doi.org/10.1098/rsif... @anthonymkreis.bsky.social In light of sum of evidence I remain unconvinced that BBC got things (very) wrong @jagolinzer.bsky.social @profsanderlinden.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 9:27 AM
This article provides a minute-by-minute analysis of how Trump (Granger) causally contributed to violence on J6 doi.org/10.1098/rsif... @anthonymkreis.bsky.social In light of sum of evidence I remain unconvinced that BBC got things (very) wrong @jagolinzer.bsky.social @profsanderlinden.bsky.social
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
Just published in @bjpols.bsky.social: @sergipardos.bsky.social and I show that inter-regional moves in pursuit of employment security reduce individual worries about immigration—a mobility pattern that, in the aggregate, reinforces spatial polarization in anti-immigration sentiment. cup.org/3XiB6yD
November 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Just published in @bjpols.bsky.social: @sergipardos.bsky.social and I show that inter-regional moves in pursuit of employment security reduce individual worries about immigration—a mobility pattern that, in the aggregate, reinforces spatial polarization in anti-immigration sentiment. cup.org/3XiB6yD
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
"While high-quality content is posted more and receives more total engagement across platforms...a given author attracts higher levels of engagement when they post lower-quality content"
"pattern we find seems to be driven more by an underperformance of particularly popular high-quality outlets"
"pattern we find seems to be driven more by an underperformance of particularly popular high-quality outlets"
Divergent patterns of engagement with partisan and low-quality news across seven social media platforms | PNAS
In recent years, social media has become increasingly fragmented, as platforms evolve
and new alternatives emerge. Yet most research studies a sing...
www.pnas.org
November 5, 2025 at 3:47 PM
"While high-quality content is posted more and receives more total engagement across platforms...a given author attracts higher levels of engagement when they post lower-quality content"
"pattern we find seems to be driven more by an underperformance of particularly popular high-quality outlets"
"pattern we find seems to be driven more by an underperformance of particularly popular high-quality outlets"
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
From April 2025 -
Does the Accumulation of Assets Shape Voting Preferences? Evidence from a Longitudinal Study in Britain - cup.org/42JWcZl
- Justin Robinson, @pavlosvas1.bsky.social & @sofiavasilopoulou.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
Does the Accumulation of Assets Shape Voting Preferences? Evidence from a Longitudinal Study in Britain - cup.org/42JWcZl
- Justin Robinson, @pavlosvas1.bsky.social & @sofiavasilopoulou.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
June 16, 2025 at 12:30 PM
From April 2025 -
Does the Accumulation of Assets Shape Voting Preferences? Evidence from a Longitudinal Study in Britain - cup.org/42JWcZl
- Justin Robinson, @pavlosvas1.bsky.social & @sofiavasilopoulou.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
Does the Accumulation of Assets Shape Voting Preferences? Evidence from a Longitudinal Study in Britain - cup.org/42JWcZl
- Justin Robinson, @pavlosvas1.bsky.social & @sofiavasilopoulou.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
Wish I was still living in Brooklyn, so I could have voted yesterday. Would have been the first time in my entire life that I was actually excited and hopeful about casting a vote. So proud of New York City right now.
November 5, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Wish I was still living in Brooklyn, so I could have voted yesterday. Would have been the first time in my entire life that I was actually excited and hopeful about casting a vote. So proud of New York City right now.
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
🆕 Latest article out @electoralstudies.bsky.social! Left parties' higher salience on cultural issues associated w/ higher support from working-class voters. Social democrats much more sensitive to different strategies, should pursue more left/salient economics www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Left parties’ strategies and working-class vote in contemporary Western Europe (2002–2020)
What should the left do strategically to retain workers' vote? This paper provides extensive empirical evidence on the relationship between left parti…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:00 AM
🆕 Latest article out @electoralstudies.bsky.social! Left parties' higher salience on cultural issues associated w/ higher support from working-class voters. Social democrats much more sensitive to different strategies, should pursue more left/salient economics www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
A massive study on the effects of social class tested 35 hypotheses in 4 countries (N = 33,536)
Only 50% of findings replicated
Hypotheses based on differences between social class contexts in terms of constraints, uncertainty & status were supported:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Only 50% of findings replicated
Hypotheses based on differences between social class contexts in terms of constraints, uncertainty & status were supported:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 24, 2025 at 3:21 PM
A massive study on the effects of social class tested 35 hypotheses in 4 countries (N = 33,536)
Only 50% of findings replicated
Hypotheses based on differences between social class contexts in terms of constraints, uncertainty & status were supported:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Only 50% of findings replicated
Hypotheses based on differences between social class contexts in terms of constraints, uncertainty & status were supported:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
Monty Python understood p-hacking
October 23, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Monty Python understood p-hacking
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
October 20, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
Currently in FirstView: In “Balancing Precision and Retention in Experimental Design,” @gustavodiaz.org and Erin Rossiter study how experimental design choices can increase precision when estimating treatment effects. Specifically, they examine block-randomized and pre-post designs.
October 14, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Currently in FirstView: In “Balancing Precision and Retention in Experimental Design,” @gustavodiaz.org and Erin Rossiter study how experimental design choices can increase precision when estimating treatment effects. Specifically, they examine block-randomized and pre-post designs.
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
I'm starting to explore {simDAG}, a nifty #rstats package that has a nice API for specifying DAGs and then simulating data from them: robindenz1.github.io/simDAG/
Simulate Data from a DAG and Associated Node Information
Simulate complex data from a given directed acyclic graph and information about each individual node. Root nodes are simply sampled from the specified distribution. Child Nodes are simulated according...
robindenz1.github.io
October 13, 2025 at 4:14 PM
I'm starting to explore {simDAG}, a nifty #rstats package that has a nice API for specifying DAGs and then simulating data from them: robindenz1.github.io/simDAG/
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
@electoralstudies.bsky.social If you’re interested in academic studies of political polarisation we have loads of great papers at Electoral Studies. Check out this one by Joseph Phillips www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Affective polarization and habits of political participation
Affective polarization, or relative dislike of opposing partisans, is associated with several negative outcomes for democracy. However, a number of st…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
@electoralstudies.bsky.social If you’re interested in academic studies of political polarisation we have loads of great papers at Electoral Studies. Check out this one by Joseph Phillips www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
This is a highly interesting, timely and great initiative - a new diamond OA journal for #replication research! It is interdisciplinary, but #PolSci is specifically invited. Hence, if you or someone you know has an interesting replication paper, do not hesitate to submit!
ReplicationResearch.org is now open for submissions!
Submit replications and reproductions from many different fields, as well as conceptual contributions. With diamond OA, open and citable peer review reports, and reproducibility checks, we push the boundaries of open and fair publishing.
Submit replications and reproductions from many different fields, as well as conceptual contributions. With diamond OA, open and citable peer review reports, and reproducibility checks, we push the boundaries of open and fair publishing.
October 10, 2025 at 6:25 AM
This is a highly interesting, timely and great initiative - a new diamond OA journal for #replication research! It is interdisciplinary, but #PolSci is specifically invited. Hence, if you or someone you know has an interesting replication paper, do not hesitate to submit!
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
NEW - 'The Power of the Crowd: How the Public Can Both Spoil and Improve Social Media as a Source of Information'
This Cambridge Element by F. Stöckel, S. Stöckli, B.A. Lyons, H. Kroker & @jasonreifler.bsky.social is free to read for 2 weeks.
cup.org/4344Tyl
#cambridgeelements #politics #Polisky
This Cambridge Element by F. Stöckel, S. Stöckli, B.A. Lyons, H. Kroker & @jasonreifler.bsky.social is free to read for 2 weeks.
cup.org/4344Tyl
#cambridgeelements #politics #Polisky
October 8, 2025 at 2:56 PM
NEW - 'The Power of the Crowd: How the Public Can Both Spoil and Improve Social Media as a Source of Information'
This Cambridge Element by F. Stöckel, S. Stöckli, B.A. Lyons, H. Kroker & @jasonreifler.bsky.social is free to read for 2 weeks.
cup.org/4344Tyl
#cambridgeelements #politics #Polisky
This Cambridge Element by F. Stöckel, S. Stöckli, B.A. Lyons, H. Kroker & @jasonreifler.bsky.social is free to read for 2 weeks.
cup.org/4344Tyl
#cambridgeelements #politics #Polisky
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
A Brief History of Men are Becoming Less Manly
🧵
🧵
October 7, 2025 at 9:49 PM
A Brief History of Men are Becoming Less Manly
🧵
🧵
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
A major step forward for large-scale survey research from our own Thomas Robinson & @patricksturg.bsky.social: SOCbot is a powerful AI tool for open-ended survey items—fast, cheap, reduces burden, and tackles longstanding measurement error in social science & labour stats
Paper: tinyurl.com/2yxcbshs
Paper: tinyurl.com/2yxcbshs
OSF
tinyurl.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:55 AM
A major step forward for large-scale survey research from our own Thomas Robinson & @patricksturg.bsky.social: SOCbot is a powerful AI tool for open-ended survey items—fast, cheap, reduces burden, and tackles longstanding measurement error in social science & labour stats
Paper: tinyurl.com/2yxcbshs
Paper: tinyurl.com/2yxcbshs
Reposted by Vittorio Merola
Updated version of "The Effects of Participating in Government-Led Citizens’ Assemblies“ with @mcduarte.bsky.social and @jmfernandes86.bsky.social
Full draft: osf.io/preprints/so...
Full draft: osf.io/preprints/so...
October 7, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Updated version of "The Effects of Participating in Government-Led Citizens’ Assemblies“ with @mcduarte.bsky.social and @jmfernandes86.bsky.social
Full draft: osf.io/preprints/so...
Full draft: osf.io/preprints/so...