Negative emotions are better predictors of populist attitudes

The rise of populism has been accompanied by explanations as to why people feel drawn to it. An international study across 15 European countries, carried out by researchers at the University of Amsterdam and funded by the European Union's H2020, now sheds light on the role of negative emotions. The conclusion is that 'anger, contempt and anxiety are much better predictors of populist attitudes than socio-economic and socio-cultural factors.' Populism has been on the rise in Europe for some time. Numerous studies are seeking to explain this trend, and the role of emotion has received more attention, only recently. Researchers from the University of Amsterdam have for the first time identified the relative importance of socio-economic, socio-cultural and emotional factors in a single comprehensive study among a total of 8,059 respondents from 15 European countries. They conclude that negative emotions are the best predictors of populist attitudes. The relative importance of different factors .