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Fear in the West: a sentiment analysis using a computer-readable “Fear Index”

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  • Robert Hogenraad

    (Université catholique de Louvain)

Abstract

We tune in on fear to make it visible and detect its drifts. We collect verbal signals of coming fear burrowed in the crackles of political and other speeches by leading figures: Familiar words people use to express fear. From the EmoLex database (Mohammad and Turney in Comput Intel 29(3):436–465, 2013), we develop a computer-readable “Fear Index” to chase fear in the West. We aim a view from above to see how fear has changed, or hasn’t. We first look how valid is the “Fear Index” on texts (fearful novels and historical documents) expected to display specific profiles of fear. Then trace the trend fear follows in speeches of European leaders. The “Fear Index” decreases in the speeches and documents of European political and economic spheres (President Donald Tusk—European Council—, President Mario Draghi—European Central Bank—, and the Global Trade Alert agency). The “Fear Index” spirals upwards among humanitarian leaders (Pope Francis, the Archbishop Justin Welby, and the International Committee of the Red Cross). We record no significant change in the trend of the “Fear Index” in the speeches of President Vladimir Putin. Humanitarian and political leaders changing in counterpoint prompt questions about empathy, or lack of that, in a now bipolar West.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Hogenraad, 2019. "Fear in the West: a sentiment analysis using a computer-readable “Fear Index”," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 1239-1261, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:53:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s11135-018-0813-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-018-0813-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. George A. Akerlof, 2009. "How Human Psychology Drives the Economy and Why It Matters," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1175-1175.
    2. Robert Hogenraad, 2014. "The fetish of archives," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 425-437, January.
    3. Martin Haselmayer & Marcelo Jenny, 2017. "Sentiment analysis of political communication: combining a dictionary approach with crowdcoding," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(6), pages 2623-2646, November.
    4. Pasture, Patrick, 2018. "The EC/EU between the Art of Forgetting and the Palimpsest of Empire," European Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(3), pages 545-581, July.
    5. Raghuram G. Rajan, 2010. "Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 9111.
    6. Tim Loughran & Bill Mcdonald, 2011. "When Is a Liability Not a Liability? Textual Analysis, Dictionaries, and 10‐Ks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(1), pages 35-65, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Robert Hogenraad, 2021. "The way of visionaries: foresight and imagination, computed," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 55(5), pages 1631-1660, October.

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