Rational ignorance helps explain why
A)legislators often trade votes on key issues to produce positive-sum games between them
B)legislators usually disregard the desires of those constituencies that cannot influence their chances for reelection
C)voters spend considerable time and effort to gather information to protect themselves against legislators with hidden agendas
D)it is rational for legislators to ignore the wishes and desires of all of their constituents
E)voters may choose to remain ignorant of issues when there are large costs associated with becoming informed

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rational ignorance refers to the decision to remain uninformed about a particular issue or topic because the costs of obtaining and processing the information outweigh the potential benefits. This means that voters may choose to remain ignorant of certain issues, particularly if the costs (such as time, effort, or money) associated with becoming informed are high. This can explain why some voters may not be fully informed about all of the issues or candidates in an election, and why some legislators may choose to ignore certain constituencies if they do not perceive those groups to be influential enough to affect their chances of reelection.

Rational Ignorance Helps Explain Why