Threat, Politics, and Attitudes

Abstract

Social scientists have long known that threatening situations can have a powerful effect on sociopolitical attitudes. One of the more dramatic examples of this phenomenon is the “rally ’round the flag effect,” characterized by dramatic spikes in popularity of the American president. Previous models of rally effects have strongly emphasized the role of anxiety and the desire for security as explanations for these changes in support. In this article, we present a contrasting view, showing support for an anger-based conceptualization that builds upon earlier research on emotional appraisal. We discuss the relevance of our findings for theory and research across a variety of different paradigms in the social psychological and political science literature.

How the coronavirus crisis affects citizen trust in institutions and in unknown others: Evidence from ‘the Swedish experiment’

“…A second group of explanations focus more directly on the threat itself, where the rally effect is understood as a way to increase security in an unmoored situation (Doty et al 1991). A third perspective is concerned with discrete emotions, primarily anger and anxiety, as potential mechanisms behind rally effects (Lambert et al 2011).…”

Responding to natural disasters: Examining identity and prosociality in the context of a major earthquake

“…Social-psychological responses to natural disasters Several social-psychological theories, such as terror management theory (Greenberg et al, 1990;Rosenblatt, Greenberg, Solomon, Pyszczynski, & Lyon, 1989) and models of motivated social cognition (Jost, Glaser, Kruglanski, & Sulloway, 2003), suggest that threatening events, including disasters, can lead to stronger identification with one's group and stronger endorsement of social values (Andrighetto, Baldissarri, Lattanzio, Loughan, & Volpato, 2014;Kemmelmeier, Broadus, & Padilla, 2008;Lambert, Schott, & Scherer, 2011). However, research exploring the influence of disasters on identity, motivations, and behaviours has primarily focused on human-caused disasters, such as acts of terrorism.…”

Political orientation moderates worldview defense in response to Osama bin Laden’s death.

“…It is possible, for example, that bin Laden’s death may have shifted actual political orientations in a similar way as found after 9/11 (Huddy & Feldman, 2011; Lambert et al, 2011; Morgan et al, 2011; Pyszczynski et al, 2003). If so, there should have been significant correlations between the day of survey completion and political orientation that documented this shift.…”

“…These reactions—both positive and negative—may be attributed to differences in how individuals defend their moral and cultural worldviews in the face of threats to cherished values (Morgan et al, 2011). Several social psychological theories are consistent with the idea that people “rally around” cultural institutions that offer a sense of security and safety when important values are threatened (Jost, Glaser, Kruglanski, & Sulloway, 2003; Lambert, Schott, & Scherer, 2011; Pyszczynski, Solomon, & Greenberg, 2003). …”