Personality and susceptibility to political microtargeting - A comparison between a machine-learning and self-report approach

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Ben

Psychographic-based political marketing has gained momentum through technological advances, but robust empirical evidence on its persuasion effectiveness remains limited. Grounded in self-congruity theory, a pre-registered experiment (N = 280) tested whether personality-congruent political microtargeting shapes citizens’ attitudes toward a political party and voting intentions. Focusing on thinking vs feeling (MBTI), the study compared machine-learning and self-report personality measurement, testing rational vs emotional ad appeals. Significant congruence effects emerged only with self-report personality, mediated by perceived ad relevance.

LanguageEnglish

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UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) Personality and susceptibility to political microtargeting: A comparison between a machine-learning and self-report approach Zarouali, B. ; Dobber, T. ; Schreuder, J. DOI 10.1016/j.chb.2023.108024 Publication date 2024 Document Version Final published version Published in Computers in Human Behavior License Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act ( [https://www.openaccess.nl/en/policies/open-access-in](https://www.openaccess.nl/en/policies/open-access-in)dutch-copyright-law-taverne-amendment) Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Zarouali, B. , Dobber, T. , & Schreuder, J. (2024) . Personality and susceptibility to political microtargeting: A comparison between a machine-learning and self-report approach. Computers in Human Behavior, 151, Article 108024. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.108024](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.108024) General rights It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons) . Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: [https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact](https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact), or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, P.O. Box 19185 , 1000 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. UvA-DARE is a service provided by the library of the University of Amsterdam ( [http](https://dare. uva. nl)[s](https://dare. uva. nl)[://dare. uva. nl](https://dare. uva. nl)) Download date:17 Sept 2026 Computers in Human Behavior 151 (2024) 108024 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Computers in Human Behavior journal [homepage:](homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/comphumbeh)[ www.elsevier.com/locate/comphumbeh](homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/comphumbeh) | Personality and susceptibility to political microtargeting: A comparison between a machine-learning and self-report approach
Brahim Zaroualia, *, Tom Dobberb, Jurrian Schreuder b
a Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven, Parkstraat 45, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
b Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | A R T I C L E I N F O | | A B S T R A C T | | | Handling Editor: Dr. Bjorn de Koning | | Based on recent technological advances, campaigners and political actors can use psychographic-based political marketing. Yet, empirical evidence about its effectiveness is still very limited. Based on self-congruity theory, a pre-registered experiment (N = 280) investigated the persuasion effects of personality-congruent political microtargeting on the attitude toward the political party and voting intentions of citizens. More precisely, the focus was on the thinking vs feeling personality dimension (MBTI), and it was tested whether this personality“interacts” with exposure to a matching advertising appeal: rational vs. emotional political ad. To do so, two different methodological approaches were used: 1) a machine learning approach; 2) a self-report survey measure of personality. Results revealed significant “congruence effects” between personality and ad appeal, and showed that perceived ad relevance was serving as the underlying mechanism (mediator). However, these results were only found when the self-report measure of personality was used. When the algorithmic approach was used, no significant results were found. These findings feed into timely societal, methodol

FAQs

What is the study’s main research question?

The study examines whether personality-congruent political microtargeting influences attitudes toward a political party and voting intentions, and whether this depends on how personality is measured.

Which personality dimension and advertising appeals were tested?

The focus was on the thinking vs feeling personality dimension (MBTI). The advertisements varied as rational versus emotional political appeals.

How did the researchers compare the two approaches to personality measurement?

The experiment used two methodological approaches: a machine-learning approach and a self-report survey measure of personality, then assessed their effects on perceived ad relevance and outcomes.

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Ben