Research Article
Maciej Karwowski, Marta Kowal, Agata Groyecka, Michał Białek, Izabela Lebuda, Agnieszka Sorokowska, Piotr Sorokowski
Human Ethology, Volume 35, 37-48, published June 23, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22330/he/35/037-048
ABSTRACT
Drawing upon the Parasite Model of Democratization across two preregistered experiments conducted in the USA and Poland (total N = 1237), we examined the psychological and political consequences of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. By manipulating saliency of COVID-19, we found that activating thinking about coronavirus may elevate Americans’ and Poles’ anxiety and indirectly promote their social conservatism all the way to support for more conservative presidential candidates. The pattern obtained was consistent in both countries, and it suggeststhat the pandemic may result in a shift in political views.
Keywords: pathogens, Behavioural Immune System, parasite stress, political preferences, social conservatism.
ISSN: 2224-4476
