How do Blurred Appeals Affect Valence Perceptions

Uncertainty (intentional or otherwise) is ubiquitous in politics, yet we have only scratched the surface of how voters interpret and respond to it. Research has largely focused on how blurred appeals shape voters’ perceptions of party positions. However, we know less about how ambiguity and ambivalence influence voters’ valence perceptions. Nasr (2022) looks at the effect of different blurring strategies on the perceived competence of hypothetical parties. However, voters’ responses to blurred appeals are strongly contingent on the party’s brand and the voters’ relationship with the party. Competence may also not be the most relevant valence characteristic in this context. Do voters think candidates using blurred appeals are less confident or trustworthy when they blur on issues that are central or peripheral to their party’s brand? To causally identify the relationship between clarity, brand centrality, and valence perceptions, I propose a survey vignette experiment in Spain that assigns participants clear or unclear statements on immigration from the PSOE (non-central issue) and Vox (central issue). The result of this experiment will inform our understanding of how voters respond to blurred appeals and the potential trade-offs faced by parties in deploying blurred strategies.