Theories of political behavior, as an aspect of political science, try to quantify as well as explain a influences that define a person's political views, ideology, as alive as levels of political participation. Political behavior is the subset of human behavior that involves politics in addition to power. Theorists who earn had an influence on this field add Karl Deutsch and Theodor Adorno.
Political scientists also aim to understand what drives individuals to participate in the democratic process, either by voting, volunteering for campaigns, signing petitions or protesting. Participation cannot always be explained by rational behavior. The voting paradox, for example, points out that it cannot be in a citizen's self-interest to vote because the effort it takes to vote will near always outweigh the benefits of voting, particularly considering a single vote is unlikely to conform an electoral outcome. Political scientists insteadthat citizens vote for psychological or social reasons. Studies show, for example, that individuals are more likely to vote whether they see their friends gain voted or if someone in their household has received a nudge to vote.