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Pandemic threat and authoritarian attitudes in Europe: An empirical analysis of the exposure to COVID-19

Author

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  • Maximilian Filsinger

    (Institute of Political Science, 111829University of Bern, Switzerland)

  • Markus Freitag

    (Institute of Political Science, 111829University of Bern, Switzerland)

Abstract

While analysis of the impact of threatening events has moved from bit player to center stage in political science in recent decades, the phenomenon of pandemic threat is widely neglected in terms of a systematic research agenda. Tying together insights from the behavioral immune system hypothesis and standard political science models of emotional processing, we evaluate whether exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic threat is related to authoritarian attitudes and which emotions do the work. Using 12 samples with over 12,000 respondents from six European countries at two time points (2020 and 2021), we argue that pandemic threats can generate disgust, anger, and fear. Our analyses indicate that exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic threat particularly activates fear, which in turn is linked to authoritarian attitudes.

Suggested Citation

  • Maximilian Filsinger & Markus Freitag, 2022. "Pandemic threat and authoritarian attitudes in Europe: An empirical analysis of the exposure to COVID-19," European Union Politics, , vol. 23(3), pages 417-436, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:23:y:2022:i:3:p:417-436
    DOI: 10.1177/14651165221082517
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Aarøe, Lene & Petersen, Michael Bang & Arceneaux, Kevin, 2017. "The Behavioral Immune System Shapes Political Intuitions: Why and How Individual Differences in Disgust Sensitivity Underlie Opposition to Immigration," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 111(2), pages 277-294, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiang Meng & Fen Lin, 2025. "Authoritarian Backsliding? Public Support for Liberty Restricting Policies During COVID-19: A Cross-National Study," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 180(2), pages 697-728, November.

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