Political paranoia in times of economic uncertainty

Aanvrager: Dr. J.W. Prooijen (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Samenvatting
At present, many people experience uncertainty about their economic circumstances. In the present proposal, we investigate the influence of such economic uncertainty on political paranoia. This is defined as a psychological sense of suspiciousness regarding the actions and intentions of authorities, which is reflected in perceptions of illegitimacy, distrust, and a belief in conspiracy theories. The present proposal seeks to test the hypotheses that (1) economic uncertainty increases political paranoia, (2) political paranoia increases the potential for conflict escalation by stimulating selfish behaviour, and (3) authorities can reduce political paranoia by incorporating procedural justice principles in decision-making processes.