Emotions as Social Information: How Elite Communication Shape Social Norms

• In Event: The Role of Emotions in Political Communication

Abstract

Research in the field of political science increasingly recognizes the significance of social norms in shaping political behavior. Yet, the question which factors influence norms remains largely understudied. I posit that emotional reactions from political elites can serve as important informational cues about what behaviors are deemed appropriate within a specific context, beyond the substantive content of elite messages. I test this hypothesis in the context of right-wing political violence in Germany. By analyzing a large dataset of elite communication on social media, I employ large language models and a staggered difference-in-differences approach to identify how politicians utilize different moral-emotional appeals following acts of political violence. Triangulating this observational evidence with survey experiments, I further demonstrate that the emotional responses of politicians can either safeguard or undermine norms concerning political violence among their partisan supporters. These findings have substantial implications for how politicians may uphold or erode crucial democratic norms by using emotional expressions as a powerful source of social influence.

Author

• Tobias Widmann, Aarhus University