Date created: | Last Updated:

Category: Project

Description: Now published: https://javnost-thepublic.org/article/2021/3/4/ This project reveals the dynamics of compliance with and political mobilization against the measures to contain the Coronavirus in 2020 using reactance theory. The underlying online study was a pilot examining reactance in a dynamic real-world scenario (N = 766, May 4th to May 17th, 2020). A first statistical model uncovers that fear, manifested in the preference of health over personal freedom, lowers reactance arousal, whereas sorrow and dissonance amplify it. A second model shows that reactance is a significant mediator for dissonance coping strategies and processes of fear on political attitude and lowers it significantly. Finally, the concept of Political Reactance is brought into the discussion. It offers a new approach to political motivation research, political communication strategy, and their levers, suggesting further research on message design, influences of emotions, and protest behavior.