IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v12y2025i1d10.1057_s41599-024-04191-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How civilian casualty information shapes support for US involvement in an ally country’s war effort

Author

Listed:
  • Alon P. Kraitzman

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Tom W. Etienne

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Dolores Albarracin

    (University of Pennsylvania)

Abstract

War is often described as “heart-wrenching,” but how do portrayals of conflict influence public support for US involvement when it is not directly engaged? This paper examines how information about civilian casualties and infrastructural damage, commonly found in media coverage, shapes public opinion on whether the US should provide military, diplomatic, and economic aid to foreign nations. Using a longitudinal survey of a probability sample of Americans and four experiments (three preregistered and two with nationally representative samples), we analyze both the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia and hypothetical conflicts involving a US ally and a US adversary. Findings indicate that information about civilian harm significantly increases public support for US involvement, with empathy mediating this effect-but only when the casualties are civilians from an ally, not an adversary, country. The theoretical and applied implications of these important and timely findings are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Alon P. Kraitzman & Tom W. Etienne & Dolores Albarracin, 2025. "How civilian casualty information shapes support for US involvement in an ally country’s war effort," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-04191-y
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-04191-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-024-04191-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-024-04191-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Scott Sigmund Gartner & Christopher F. Gelpi, 2016. "The Affect and Effect of Images of War on Individual Opinion and Emotions," International Interactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(1), pages 172-188, January.
    2. Ali Sanaei, 2019. "Time is of the essence: The causal effect of duration on support for war," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 56(6), pages 783-796, November.
    3. Nancy Snow, 2008. "International Exchanges and the U.S. Image," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 616(1), pages 198-222, March.
    4. Helen V. Milner & Dustin Tingley, 2013. "Public Opinion and Foreign Aid: A Review Essay," International Interactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(3), pages 389-401, July.
    5. Janina Dill & Scott D. Sagan & Benjamin Valentino, 2023. "Inconstant Care: Public Attitudes Towards Force Protection and Civilian Casualties in the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 67(4), pages 587-616, April.
    6. Tomz, Michael & Weeks, Jessica L.P. & Yarhi-Milo, Keren, 2020. "Public Opinion and Decisions About Military Force in Democracies," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 74(1), pages 119-143, January.
    7. Kreft, Anne-Kathrin & Agerberg, Mattias, 2024. "Imperfect Victims? Civilian Men, Vulnerability, and Policy Preferences," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 118(1), pages 274-290, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhiming Cheng & Russell Smyth, 2016. "Why Give it Away When You Need it Yourself? Understanding Public Support for Foreign Aid in China," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(1), pages 53-71, January.
    2. Dylan Bugden & Jesse Brazil, 2024. "The role of geostrategic interests in motivating public support for foreign climate aid," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 14(4), pages 803-813, December.
    3. Angelika J. Budjan & Andreas Fuchs, 2021. "Democracy and Aid Donorship," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(4), pages 217-238, November.
    4. Eichenauer, Vera Z. & Fuchs, Andreas & Brueckner, Lutz, 2018. "The Effects of Trade, Aid, and Investment on China's Image in Developing Countries," Working Papers 0646, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.
    5. Labinot Hajdari & Judita Krasniqi & Blerim Limani & Emira Limani & Alex Chen, 2024. "The role of international education on public diplomacy: the case of Kosovo International Summer Academy," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. Lukas Wellner & Axel Dreher & Andreas Fuchs & Bradley C. Parks & Austin M. Strange, 2022. "Can Aid Buy Foreign Public Support? Evidence from Chinese Development Finance," CESifo Working Paper Series 9646, CESifo.
    7. Eichenauer, Vera Z. & Fuchs, Andreas & Brückner, Lutz, 2021. "The effects of trade, aid, and investment on China's image in Latin America," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 483-498.
    8. Christopher W. Blair & Jonathan A. Chu & Joshua A. Schwartz, 2022. "The Two Faces of Opposition to Chemical Weapons: Sincere Versus Insincere Norm-Holders," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 66(4-5), pages 677-703, May.
    9. Joshua Alley, 2023. "Elite Cues and Public Attitudes Towards Military Alliances," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 67(7-8), pages 1537-1563, August.
    10. Brian Burgoon & Luc Fransen, 2018. "Might Corporate Social Responsibility Hollow Out Support for Public Assistance in Europe?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 56(1), pages 128-163, March.
    11. Chi Him Lee & Brian Tse & Nathaniel Lai & William Goggins & Larry Baum & E Anthony S Nelson, 2018. "Hong Kong’s role in global health: Public opinion of official development assistance," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(12), pages 1-13, December.
    12. repec:osf:socarx:r73pv_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. repec:osf:socarx:qzrj2_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Janina Dill & Scott D. Sagan & Benjamin Valentino, 2023. "Inconstant Care: Public Attitudes Towards Force Protection and Civilian Casualties in the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 67(4), pages 587-616, April.
    15. Kim, Sung Eun & Park, Jong Hee & Rhee, Inbok & Yang, Joonseok, 2025. "What do aid recipients want? Public attitudes toward foreign aid in developing countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    16. Stefanie Walter, 2021. "EU‐27 Public Opinion on Brexit," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 569-588, May.
    17. Vanden Eynde, Oliver & Fetzer, Thiemo & Souza, Pedro CL & Wright, Austin L., 2021. "Losing on the Home Front? Battlefield Casualties, Media, and Public Support for Foreign Interventions," CEPR Discussion Papers 16102, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    18. Hassan F. Gholipour & Reza Tajaddini & Farhad Taghizadeh-hesary, 2022. "Individuals’ Financial Satisfaction and National Priority: A Global Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 159-177, February.
    19. Faradj Koliev & Karin Bäckstrand, 2025. "Citizen preferences for climate policy implementation: the role of multistakeholder partnerships," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 41-59, March.
    20. Linda Alvarez & Constantine Boussalis & Jennifer L. Merolla & Caryn A. Peiffer, 2018. "Love thy neighbour: Social identity and public support for humanitarian aid," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S2), pages 935-953, September.
    21. Schneider, Sebastian H. & Eger, Jens & Bruder, Martin & Faust, Jörg & Wieler, Lothar H., 2021. "Does the COVID-19 pandemic threaten global solidarity? Evidence from Germany," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    22. Thilo Bodenstein & Jörg Faust, 2017. "Who Cares? European Public Opinion on Foreign Aid and Political Conditionality," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(5), pages 955-973, September.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-04191-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.