Angry losers? The (null) effects of feeling electoral loss on anti-democratic attitudes
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11891747 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Katharina Lawall (0000-0002-6045-0105, University of Reading, corresponding author), Katerina Michalaki (Aston University), Manos Tsakiris (0000-0001-7753-7576, University of London) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 65 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 1-16 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-19 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | European Journal of Political Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0304-4130 • E-ISSN: 1475-6765 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s1475676525100601 |
| OpenAlex | W7130507437 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 57 |
Peaceful transfers of power are a fundamental principle of democracy. Yet, in times of heightened affective polarisation, election losses may trigger strong negative emotional reactions in partisans, which in turn undermine support for fundamental democratic principles among partisans. We test this idea through two pre-registered survey experiments conducted after the 2022 and 2024 elections in the United States. We randomly assign partisans to receive either a placebo or an emotive reminder about the election that their party lost, containing others’ angry or worried reactions at the election outcome. Contrary to our pre-registered expectations, we do not find evidence that priming negative feelings about electoral loss affects support for political violence or democratic norms. Emotive reminders about salient political events can momentarily turn up the heat on politics, but are not enough to propel partisans to adopt extreme anti-democratic attitudes. By linking the study of emotions to democratic norms, this article contributes to our understanding of when negative emotions (fail to) radicalise partisans
Anger · Democracy · Emotive · Feeling · Politics · Power (physics · Priming (agriculture · Emotions and Moral Behavior · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social and Intergroup Psychology
American Affective Polarization in Comparative Perspective
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Current research overstates American support for political violence
Digital Emotion Contagion
Confrontational and Preventative Policy Responses to Terrorism
The promise and pitfalls of cross-partisan conversations for reducing affective polarization
Prolific.ac—A subject pool for online experiments
Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks
Effects of Fear and Anger on Perceived Risks of Terrorism
Radical American Partisanship
Losers' Consent
Comparing implications of distinct emotion, network, and dimensional approaches for co-occurring emotions
Mixed emotions
Priming Partisan Identities and Support for Political Violence
Losing Hurts
The Effects of Unsubstantiated Claims of Voter Fraud on Confidence in Elections
How Emotional Traits and Practices Lead to Support in Acts of Political Violence
The role of threat, emotions, and prejudice in promoting collective action against immigrant groups
Dealing in hope
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Do European elections enhance satisfaction with European Union democracy
Fear and loathing across party lines’ (also) in Europe
The Effect of Partisan Representation at Different Levels of Government on Satisfaction with Democracy in the United States
How Affective Polarization Undermines Support for Democratic Norms
Affective Polarization in Comparative and Longitudinal Perspective
Are People More Satisfied with Democracy When They Feel They Won the Election? No
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The relationship between affective polarization and democratic backsliding
Civic Engagements
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Satisfaction with Democracy and the Winner/Loser Debate
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The Origins and Consequences of Affective Polarization in the United States
The Emotional Underpinnings of Populism
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Polarization and the Global Crisis of Democracy
Interventions reducing affective polarization do not necessarily improve anti-democratic attitudes
Electoral outcomes and satisfaction with democracy
Expressive Partisanship
President Trump Stress Disorder
Democracy in America? Partisanship, Polarization, and the Robustness of Support for Democracy in the United States
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |