The Psychological Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Associated With Antisystemic Attitudes and Political Violence

Abstract

What are the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for people’s political attitudes and behavior? We tested, specifically, whether the psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic relates to antisystemic attitudes (dissatisfaction with the fundamental social and political order), peaceful political activism, and political violence. Nationally representative two-wave panel data were collected via online surveys of adults in the United States, Denmark, Italy, and Hungary ( ns = 6,131 and 4,568 in Waves 1 and 2, respectively). Overall, levels of antisystemic attitudes were low, and only a small share of interviewees reported behavioral intentions to participate in and actual participation in political violence. However, preregistered analyses indicated that perceived COVID-19 burden was associated with antisystemic attitudes and intentions to engage in political violence. In the United States, the burden of COVID-19 was also associated with self-reported engagement in violence surrounding the Black Lives Matter protests and counterprotests. We found less robust evidence that perceived COVID-19 burden was associated with peaceful activism.

Communicate hope to motivate the public during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…An epidemic places a heavy toll on the public. This toll is not only related to the impact of the disease but also to the social, mental and financial impact of the non-pharmaceutical interventions used to control the disease 2 , 5 . Because non-pharmaceutical interventions are costly, it is key for health authorities to engage in communication that increases public understanding and acceptance of the interventions.…”

Increased Pressure Lowers Trust Among Unvaccinated: Effects of the Announcement of Re-Introducing Covid-Passports in Denmark

“…Furthermore, research during the pandemic shows that feelings of fatigue lowers support for the government's handling of the pandemic, decreases government trust, breeds conspiracy thinking and support for public protests against the management of the pandemic (Petersen et al, 2021a). Among those feeling most burdened by the pandemic and the restrictions used to contain it, there is even an increased tendency to support the use of political violence (Bartusevičius et al, 2021). This raises the possibility that while the pressure put on the unvaccinated may facilitate vaccinations, it may come at the cost of lower trust.…”

Do disasters trigger protests? A conceptual view and review of the connection between disasters, injustice, and protests – the case of COVID-19

“…They found that the psychological burden from COVID-19 was associated with antisystemic attitudes and intentions for both non-violent political activism and intentions to engage in political violence. Bartusevičius et al (2021) also found an association between self-reported use of violence during BLM protests and counter protests and COVID-19 burden in the US. However, neither political, ideological, nor burden dimensions are likely to make someone protest on its own.…”

“…However, scoring high on empathy and group-efficacy predicted collective action tendencies. Rather than focusing on political and ideological dimensions, Bartusevičius et al (2021) explored the association between the psychological burden of COVID-19 and several dimensions of political unrest in the US, Denmark, Italy and Hungary. They found that the psychological burden from COVID-19 was associated with antisystemic attitudes and intentions for both non-violent political activism and intentions to engage in political violence.…”