Presidential Candidate Images

Understanding the cross-currents of candidate image creation and voter perception/evaluation stands at the center of presidential campaign communication. Professor Hacker and the volume's contributors provide a much-needed and frequently provocative update on this always important area of political communication research. -- Judith S. Trent, University of Cincinnati Congratulations to Professor Hacker and his associates for addressing the important topic of candidate image in campaign communication. There is a real need for this new examination. -- Kathleen E. Kendall, Visiting Professor of Communication, University of Maryland Kenneth Hacker's collection of essays and research about the formation, stability, content, and impact of presidential candidate images provides vibrant insights, and some clear conclusions, about how candidate images function. This collection's balance between creative insight and research methodology makes it a valuable read for anyone interested in studying political communication. * Argumentation and Advocacy * Kenneth Hacker has assembled a fine group of scholars to investigate how images are formed and what impact they have on voters. The contributors present careful and thoughtful ideas on the theory and methodology of image formation. They are serious about their craft and creative in how they address controversies in this area. For scholars interested in image formation, political communications, and voter decision making, this is an important book. * Perspectives on Politics * The volume effectively describes the current state of research on presidential candidate images, identifies weaknesses in the literature, highlights some of the disagreements, and suggests avenues for future research. Of interest to various disciplines as well as anyone interested in presidential and candidate images. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *

Kenneth L. Hacker is professor of communication studies at New Mexico State University, Las Cruces.

Chapter 1 Introduction: The Continued Importance of the Candidate Image Construct Chapter 2 1 Campaigns and Candidate Images in American Presidential Elections Chapter 3 2 Presidential Candidates' Personal Qualities: Computer Content Analysis Chapter 4 3 Candidate Images When Things Go Sour: Reaction to Scandal Chapter 5 4 The "Authentic Candidate": Extending Candidate Image Assessment Chapter 6 5 A Dual-Processing Perspective of Candidate Image Formation Chapter 7 6 The Effects of Advertising on Candidate Images Chapter 8 7 Presidential Debates and Candidate Image Formation: 1992, 1996, 2000 Chapter 9 8 Interpersonal Communication Styles of Political Candidates: Predicting Winning and Losing Candidates in Three U.S. Presidential Elections Chapter 10 9 Meta-Analysis of Presidential Candidate Images Chapter 11 10 Using Cognitive Measurement for Analysis of Candidate Images Chapter 12 11 Measuring Candidate Images with Semantic Differentials Chapter 13 Conclusion: Present and Future Directions for Candidate Image Research