Systematic review on the use of heuristics in the election of candidates for public office

The study of decision heuristics is a field of research for both political psychology and disciplines such as political science and economics, particularly since the theoretical models of Lau and Redlawsk. To establish a theoretical background that would allow for the development of lines of research in the Latin American context, a systematic review of scientific production associated with the last 20 years was conducted. This systematic review used a procedure guided by the PRISMA model, in indexed databases, yielding a total of 42 articles published between 2000 and 2020. The results show a wide variety of heuristics investigated and an interesting group of cues not considered in theoretical models, with quantitative and qualitative methodological strategies that justify the construction of appropriate research models to explore the use of heuristics in different types of elections. There is a clear need to investigate the use of heuristic cues and the use of strategies as separate concepts in a differentiated manner. Likewise, the possibility of investigating the combined behavior of heuristics in particular political contexts, especially in multiparty democracies, is established.