Rational Voters and Emotional Voters: Analysis of Socio-Psychological Factors in Voting Behavior in the 2024 Presidential Election

<p>The 2024 Presidential Election in Indonesia reflects the increasingly<br />complex dynamics of democracy, marked by the increasing role of social media,<br />identity-based campaigns, and candidate personalization. This study aims to<br />analyze the socio-psychological factors that influence voting behavior, identify<br />the characteristics of rational and emotional voters, and examine the implications<br />of the dominance of emotional behavior on the quality of electoral democracy.<br />The approach used is a mixed-method, through a quantitative survey of young<br />voters as well as in-depth interviews and analysis of digital campaign content. The<br />results of the study show that factors such as identity affiliation, emotional<br />closeness to candidates, and the intensity of social media exposure play a<br />significant role in shaping voting behavior. Rational voters tend to consider the<br />track record and work programs of candidates, while emotional voters are more<br />influenced by symbolism, emotional narratives, and personal perceptions. These<br />findings indicate that the dominance of emotional behavior in elections has the<br />potential to weaken the quality of electoral democracy because political<br />decisions are often not based on informative rational considerations. This study<br />recommends the importance of increasing political literacy, especially among<br />young voters, as well as the development of more ethical and educational<br />political communication strategies to strengthen the foundations of a healthy<br />democracy that is oriented towards quality leadership.</p>