Public choice ana lysis of voting predicts apathy and rational ignorance. Transactions cost analysis forms predictions on the basis of systematic responses to low-cost signals that serve to reduce decision-making costs. Public choice analysis is premised only on instrumental rationality; a transactions cost analysis includes analysis of intrinsic motivation, ie. analysis of 'consumption' benefi...

Since gaining independence in 1965, the Singapore government has relentlessly pursued economic growth and prosperity, while at the same time exercising tight political controls, which has largely eroded traditional political participation among the citizens (George, 2003; Rodan, 1998). In the economic domain, Singapore’s performance has indeed been very impressive; the country was recently rank...

In this paper, I propose that depression is a political phenomenon insofar as it has political sources and consequences. I then investigate one aspect of this argument-whether depression reduces participation. I hypothesize that individuals with depression lack the motivation and physical capacity to vote and engage in other forms of political participation due to somatic problems and feelings ...

Apathy is a common neurobehavioral feature in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. Apathy is often interpreted as a sign of deppression or as a nonspecific symptom of other medical conditions. However, recent research indicates that the essential meaning of apathy is lack of motivation. This article presents a frame work for the classification and differential diagnosis of apathy and addres...

The collapse of the traditional social ties, the advance of the mass media and the advent of political marketing have altered the structure and the direction of electoral campaigns. Present-day media-mediated electoral campaigns are hotly debated. On one side are those who claim that campaigns simplify political reality, manipulate voters, encourage voting apathy and in the long run contribute ...

BACKGROUND Both apathy and suicide are common in poststroke patients. However, the association between poststroke apathy and suicide-related ideation (SI) in Chinese stroke patients is not clear and poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine the association between apathy and SI in stroke. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the association in 518 stroke ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of apathy and depression in cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), and the relationships between both apathy and depression with cognition. To examine whether apathy is specifically related to impairment in executive functioning and processing speed. METHODS 196 patients with a clinical lacunar stroke and an anatomically corresponding lacunar infarct on MRI...

BACKGROUND The frequency and clinical, neuropsychological and neuroimaging correlates of apathy in patients who have had a stroke are inadequately defined. METHOD A total of 167 consecutive patients admitted to the stroke units of two university hospitals after an ischaemic stroke and 109 controls received extensive medical, psychiatric and neuropsychological assessments; a subset received a ...

BACKGROUND Civil wars are characterized by intense forms of violence, such as torture, maiming and rape. Political scientists suggest that this form of political violence is fostered through the provision of particular intrinsic and extrinsic rewards to combatants. In the field of psychology, the perpetration of this kind of cruelty is observed to be positively linked to appetitive aggression. ...