From a Young Candidate to the Middle-Aged: Voting Experiment using Movie Retouching

Abstract

　In this paper, I analyze the relationship between the candidates apparent age and young voters' evaluation of him, utilizing the movie retouching technology and randomized experiment. Specifically, I analyze the effects of apparent age on 1) the image of reformist 2) the power of mobilization for young voters 3) voters' evaluation of his policy and 4) overall evaluation as a political candidate. To do so, I videotaped a speech of an actual local politician of 40 years old. Then by utilizing the movie retouching technology, I manipulated apparent age of him and prepared two videos of speech of him. The two videos are exactly same except for the apparent age and I use the video as stimuli of an experiment. With the interaction of political interest of voters, the image of reformist and power of mobilization are affected by the apparent age. However, apparent age does not affect voters' evaluation of his policy and overall evaluation as a political candidate.