A study of the heuristics used by italians voters.

It uses also fast&frugal approaches :)

It takes the following approach:
"Using only two sets of variables present in nearly all election surveys, a classification of 4 types of voter (Utilius, Amicus, Aliens and Medians) is proposed.

Rather than assume voters as a homogeneous aggregate, Utilius, Amicus, Aliens and Medians become the protagonists of the story. Utilius uses the categories of left and right in order to reduce the complexity of politics to a one-dimensional space.
...
Traditionally, scholars on political cognition and sophistication refer to education, information and interest in politics as proper empirical measures of these concepts. The quality of our partition will be therefore tested for its ability to distinguish respondents by these variables."

Then, in the conclusion:

"... If it is true, as we claim to have shown, that different heuristics are at work, then it follows that voters have to be conceived as a heterogeneous entity, at least with respect to the variables which affect their choice. This perspective challenges the standard research on the ‘determinants’ of voting behavior. People follow multiple strategies and rely selectively on different kind of available information. Parties, leaders, coalitions and media affect voter behavior, but they have different leverage on different voters."

And:

"... There is no median voter out there."