Young and informed? Adolescents' perceptions of ‘left’ and ‘right’

The terms ‘left’ and ‘right’ are often used in political communication to describe the main differences between parties. Adolescents who are learning about politics also learn to understand the party system (partially) through the lens of the left–right spectrum. This study examines adolescents' perceptions of parties' left–right positions and their substantive understandings of ‘left’ and ‘right’ with an innovative battery of items. We use original survey data from Dutch adolescents and their parents to investigate differences and similarities in their perceptions of party positions and the meanings they attach to ‘left’ and ‘right.’ Our findings show that adolescents' understanding of ‘left’ and ‘right’ is remarkably similar to that of the generation of their parents. Even though left–right perceptions of adolescents seem to be influenced by their own parents, adolescents form their perceptions mostly in line with those of the median voter, particularly adolescents that are more engaged and knowledgeable.