Research Methodology

Research informs our strategy, every step of the way. The following is a summary of the methodology used in the research cited in this playbook.

American National Election Study Analyses

Galvanize Action commissioned Mindbridge to conduct a cluster analysis of data taken from the American National Election Studies (ANES) 2020 and 2022 Time Series investigating white women’s voting behavior in relation to key issue areas including racial resentment, internalized sexism, in-group favoritism, their views of government, role of religion in their lives, marriage, education, etc. 

Disinformation & Social Listening Study

Galvanize Action commissioned a study from GQR aimed to deeply understand which white women are more likely to believe disinformation, where they get their information, and what types of disinformation they are more likely to believe.

  • Galvanize Action and GQR conducted a nationwide online survey of 1,500 white women registered voters from July 2-11, 2021. The sample included 300 voters each from Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
  • Galvanize Action and GQR conducted a social listening analysis of grievance-based narratives and mis/disinformation appearing from July 9 to August 13, 2021 that reached white women voters. This included an analysis of more than 4,000 pieces of content from over 150 pages, groups, and accounts on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram—and over 1,250 ads from the Facebook Ad Library.

Voter Segmentation*

Galvanize Action’s voter segmentation provides a framework for understanding the similarities and differences across moveable white women in order to create content that speaks to them as directly as possible. 

  • In October 2021, Galvanize Action developed and fielded a survey to 5,000 white women across the United States. The survey contained a series of questions designed to measure women’s psychographic traits along with their demographic information. 
    • After the survey, five voter segments were created by running the responses through clustering algorithms (think putting apples with apples and oranges with oranges). 
    • Finally, Galvanize Action analyzed the results and determined three of the five segments provide the best opportunity for persuasion.
  • In 2024, another survey was developed and fielded to 1,500 white women across the United States. This survey will serve as a foundation for a refined segmentation in 2025.

Audience Understanding Surveys*

Galvanize Action’s Audience Understanding Surveys (AUS) provide insight on where white women stand on key issues. 

  • Since 2021, Galvanize Action has conducted a number of Audience Understanding Surveys on a range of key issues, including but not limited to:
    • Reproductive rights
    • Economy
    • Immigration
    • Crime
    • Othering and Antisemitism
  • Qualitative and quantitative data from these surveys are analyzed to explore whether women are movable on any given issue, how they feel about it, and what they have in common.
  • Results from these surveys provide a timely understanding of how our audience is reacting to and shifting their attitudes and opinions on key issues.

Rapid Message Tests*

Galvanize Action’s Rapid Message Tests (RMTs) provide causal evidence that pieces of creative move women on key issues and along key barriers. 

  • Each RMT is an online, randomized survey experiment. In most cases the RMT includes a nationally representative sample of white women. However, for some tailored creative, Galvanize Action includes a state representative sample of the population instead. Women in the treatment group receive Galvanize Action creative and women in the control group receive a placebo unrelated to the political issue. 
  • After each RMT, Galvanize Action determines which pieces of creative to advance by evaluating which cause positive, statistically significant (ss) movement among key audiences and which backfire (negative ss movement). 
  • For some of the best-performing creative, Galvanize Action matched survey respondents to the voter file to evaluate effectiveness among Galvanize Action voter segments.

Field Experiments*

In May and June of 2022, Galvanize Action ran a field experiment to test the effectiveness of in-group careText on an off-white background: Value. In-Group Care. Protecting the people you are closest to and others who are similar. "It is my duty to take care of my family." message frames on moving moderate white women toward progress on key issues. All messages in the experiment were developed and lab-tested in advance (see description of Rapid Message Tests above for more details). 

  • A total of 1,866 white women in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ohio were randomly assigned to one of three groups, two treatment groups and one control group. Random assignment provides clear, causal evidence of the effect of the treatment delivered by Galvanize Action. 
  • All women in the experiment received a pre and post survey, which asked about views on abortion, paid family leave, and their political self-efficacy.
  • Women in the treatment groups received messages across social media and streaming services while those in the control group did not receive any messages.

Tracking Survey & Randomized Controlled Trial*

Galvanize Action’s 2022 and 2024 tracking surveys provide nuance on shifts in audience attitudes, opinions, and behaviors over time. The tracking surveys also provide insight on responses to large political events, such as the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. In addition, they include a randomized controlled trial (RCT) which allows Galvanize Action to determine the effectiveness of programming.

  • During the spring of 2022 and 2024, Galvanize Action identified a set of key issues that were likely to be salient during the 2022 midterm and 2024 presidential elections. These issues, along with a set of research questions coming out of previous projects, were included in eleven-wave (2022) and six-wave (2024) panel surveys. Issues and questions fall under the following categories:
    • Voting
    • Culture War Issues
    • Economy and Inflation
    • Abortion
    • Top Concerns
  • The 2022 survey was fielded to 2,000 white women across Galvanize Action priority states (Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ohio) from May to November.
  • The 2024 survey was fielded to ~12,000 white women nationally from June to November.
  • Respondents were recruited based on voter file matches to ensure representativeness of Galvanize Action’s audience. The effects we estimate have been weighted to reflect white women registered voters based on age, state, partisanship, and primary voter status.
  • After the baseline survey, respondents were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Random assignment provides clear, causal evidence of the effect of treatment. Women in the treatment group received ads while the control group did not.
  • The panel surveys provide nuance on changes (or no change) in the audience’s opinions, attitudes, and behavior leading up to and shortly after the 2022 midterm and 2024 presidential elections. Results were then used to make strategic pivots in Galvanize Action’s ad campaigns, provide rapid pulse checks for partners, and determine effectiveness of programming.

FrameShift Individual In-Depth Interviews

During the spring of 2023 and 2024, Galvanize Action partnered with FrameShift to deepen our understanding of how women in our target audience self identify and how core traits and barriers shape their worldviews—including their attitudes on key issues and predictors of prosocial behaviors. Because people think in images rather than words, FrameShift used their unique MindCamSM technology to explore women’s subconscious thoughts.

  • In 2023, FrameShift conducted 28 deep-dive, metaphor elicitation interviews via Zoom with a matched audience of voter segments (8 Traditionalist Conservatives, 12 Uncertain Individualists, 8 Trusting Liberals) in MI, OH, PA, and WI.
    • One-on-one interviews explored how women understand themselves and their roles in society in relationship to others, concerns about where society is heading, top issues, and what their ideal world would look like.
  • In 2024, FrameShift conducted 21 individual interviews via Zoom with women who were matched to voter segments in MI, OH, PA, and WI.
    • Interviews explored the deeply personal experiences shaping women’s attitudes on the economy, reproductive freedom, democracy, and teaching gender identity in schools.

Worthy Strategy Group Focus Groups

As a follow-up to the first round of in-depth interviews conducted by FrameShift, Galvanize Action partnered with Worthy Strategy Group in summer 2023 to explore what shapes women’s group identities and shared beliefs about the role of government.

  • WSG conducted four focus groups with 31 women from target segments (8 Traditionalist Conservatives, 15 Uncertain Individualists, 8 Trusting Liberals in MI, OH, PA, and WI), including many who participated in the phase I interviews.
  • During the 90-minute Zoom discussions, groups shared their beliefs about what it means to matter in America, feeling disconnected from those who represent them in government, top of mind issues, civic engagement, and working toward a more united country.

*Work conducted in partnership with Grow Progress.