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COVID-19 related anxieties do not decrease support for liberal democracy
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Anghel_APSA Preprint_covid-19-related-anxieties-do-not-decrease-support-for-liberal-democracy.pdf (1.63 MB)
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APSA Preprints; 2021; [MWP]
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ANGHEL, Veronica, SCHULTE-CLOOS, Julia, COVID-19 related anxieties do not decrease support for liberal democracy, APSA Preprints, 2021, [MWP] - https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73666
Abstract
Studies carried out at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic confirmed that under the impression of fear individuals were more willing to tolerate violations of liberal-democratic norms and supported discriminatory policies to preserve public safety. But what are the potential consequences of the pandemic on citizens’ attitudes beyond its peak? We conducted an original experiment in which we manipulate individuals’ cognitive accessibility of their fears related to COVID-19 one and a half years after the onset of the pandemic. We fielded the experiment in Hungary and Romania–two cases most likely to see such attitudes amplify under the condition of fear. Our intervention was successful in elevating respondents’ levels of worry, anxiety, and fear when thinking about infectious diseases like COVID-19. However, these emotions did not affect individuals’ levels of rightwing authoritarianism, nationalism, or outgroup hostility, or their preferences for specific discriminatory policies aimed to fight a potential resurgence of COVID-19.
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Published online: 10 November 2021