Why Does Presidential Popularity Decline? A Test of the Expectation/Disillusion Theory

According to the “expectation/disillusion” interpretation of the decline of presidential popularity over time, popularity declines as unrealistically high expectations of presidential performance inevitably give way to more realistic assessments. This paper puts that interpretation and several specific aspects of it to the test through analysis of data from a series of nationwide polls conducted between 1977 and 1979.