2025/03/12 by Tetsuro Kobayashi, Yuan Zhou, Lungta Seki +1 · 3 voices · 2 citations
Social Sciences · #Authoritarianism #Autocracy #Democracy #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Law #Media Influence and Politics #Narrative #Political economy #Political science #Politics #Social Media and Politics #Sociology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/13510347.2025.2475472
published in Democratization 32(6), 1474-1495 (Taylor & Francis)
openalex publication_date 2025/03/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/10
This study examines the persuasive effects of illiberal narratives on citizens in democratic countries in the context of increasing influence operations by authoritarian states, focusing on Japan as a case study. We compare the impact of illiberal narratives originating from China and Russia with that of mainstream narratives prevalent in democracies. Study 1 shows that whereas both narratives shift public opinion, illiberal narratives exert a stronger influence. Authoritarian tendencies, conspiracy beliefs, and political sophistication do not moderate these effects. By simulating two-sided exposure, Study 2 finds that despite narratives tending to cancel each other out, the effect of illiberal narratives persists, especially when introduced after mainstream narratives. These findings highlight a potential vulnerability in democratic societies such as Japan, where mainstream narratives may not adequately counteract illiberal influences.