Why We Say One Thing and Vote Another: The Psychology Behind Surprising Election Results

In a stunning turn of events, Donald Trump has returned to the centre stage of American politics, revealing a significant Republican preference across much of the U.S. What’s particularly striking isn’t just Trump’s resurgence, but how surprising the election outcomes have been for many experienced observers. The polling data, endless media discussions, and public opinion surveys leading up to the elections seemed to paint a different picture — a picture of a country torn in different directions and leaning away from populist narratives. A neck-in-neck fight of conservatism vs liberalism that would come down to the wire.

But come Election Day, the results told a different story. In various states, pre-election polling suggested that swing voters or independents might be leaning toward more moderate or Democratic candidates, yet the final count showed a strong tilt toward the Republican camp. In some districts, candidates considered long shots managed to secure decisive wins, confounding pollsters and pundits alike.

How did this happen? How could the nation’s collective “say” and “do” be so at odds?

This isn’t the first time election results have defied expectations, and it’s unlikely to be the last. But it does raise a critical question: why do…