Implicit Triggers, Identity(ies) and Attitudes to the European Union: An Experimental Approach
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Politics
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Publications
Laura Cram (Co-Author)
(2012)
EU identity triggers : implicit exposure to the EU flag and subtle 'threat' context
Laura Cram (Co-Author)
(2012)
Insecurity and attitudes to EU integration : the impact of implicit EU triggers in the context of threat
Moore, A & Cram, L
(2014)
Implicit National Flag Modulates Brain Activation when Processing Empathy for Others in Pain
Patrikios S
(2016)
Better the devil you know: Threat effects and attachment to the European Union
in Comparative European Politics
Stratos Patrikios (Co-Author)
(2011)
Visual cues, European identity and attitudes to the European Union
Stratos Patrikios (Co-Author)
(2011)
Measuring banal Europeanism and its effects : an experimental approach
| Description | We used a series of online experiments to measure the real-life impact of implicit exposure to EU-related visual cues on political attitudes. The study compared results within the UK, and between the UK and Ireland. As the EU is a relatively new organisation, it was anticipated that symbolic triggers (like the EU flag) would not provoke the same deep-seated responses as a national flag might. Therefore, central to this project was the effect of daily functional visual reminders of EU membership - for example on car registration plates and driving licences.The experiments also manipulated the context in which the individual was exposed to the triggers (threatening or non-threatening). We found that exposure to EU symbols, and the context in which this exposure takes place, does indeed affect attitudes.The results of this research are also relevant to those interested in measuring the impact of implicit exposure to other images, such as: national flags; party political symbols or corporate logos on the attitudes and behaviour of the public. The approach proved fruitful in relation to all three project objectives: Objective 1: We argued that to understand the impact of EU identity on political attitudes both implicit and explicit aspects of identity and the interaction between instrumental and affective elements of identification must be examined. We found that 'functional' rather than 'symbolic' EU triggers had a significant effect on attitudes towards the European Union. The symbolic version of the EU flag had no effect on EU-related opinions. The effect of 'functional' triggers, moreover, was observed only in relation to 'instrumental' rather than 'affective' attitudes. Our findings also highlighted the important interaction between coexisting territorial identities and EU identity in moderating the impact of EU related identity triggers. We found that exposure to the EU 'functional' trigger, moderated by attachment to the EU, led to polarisation of opinion in the two stateless nations of Scotland and Wales. We also found a positive relationship between national identity, EU funding and responses to implicit triggers. Finally, we found that when exposure to the EU symbol is presented in a subtle threat context, pro-EU responses increase. Objective 2: We developed a unique template (including visual material) for use in experimental survey research. The study also produced a comparative research design which can be extended to include other nations, whether EU member states or stateless nations. The template has already been adapted for potential use in other countries (in our collaboration with Aarhus, Berlin and Humboldt Universities), in relation to the UK Constitutional debate (in our British Academy study) and for a popular knowledge exchange quiz run in conjunction with the BBC in May 2012. Our methodological contribution is highlighted in Lynngaard et al (2013) 'Research Methods in European Union Studies'. Objective 3: In May 2011 YouGov delivered a large dataset (n8599) covering respondents in the UK territories and Ireland. The use of online experiments allowed us to produce a sample much larger than those typically used in experimental research, thus avoiding the small 'n' critique. |
| Exploitation Route | The Implicit Triggers team collaborated with the BBC on the 'Mood of the Nation' online experiment. This tested the impact of implicit exposure to the various UK flags on public attitudes. The experiment proved popular, with 10405 people participating. Participants disseminated the quiz widely using social networks.The results were reported on BBC1 Sunday Politics Scotland and BBC2 Daily Politics and were made available on the BBC web site. The template developed by the implicit triggers team lends itself easily to adaptation to other questions, cues and audiences. The results of this research are also relevant to those interested in measuring the impact of implicit exposure to other images, such as: national flags; party political symbols or corporate logos on the attitudes and behaviour of the public. The implicit triggers team have subsequently been funded by the British Academy to adapt their research template for application to the UK constitutional question. |
| Sectors | Education,Other |
| URL | http://ewds.strath.ac.uk/euidtriggers |
| Description | ESRC Transformative Grant |
| Amount | £250,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/L003139/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2013 |
| End | 02/2014 |
| Description | ESRC UK in a Changing Europe |
| Amount | £197,135 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/N003985/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2014 |
| End | 05/2015 |
| Description | The impact of subliminal exposure to national symbols on attitudes to the constitutional status of Scotland : an experimental approach |
| Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 115825 |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2012 |
| End | 06/2013 |
| Description | The impact of subliminal exposure to national symbols on attitudes to the constitutional status of Scotland : an experimental approach |
| Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 115825 |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2012 |
| End | 06/2013 |
| Description | Mood of the nation |
| Organisation | British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | A collaboration between the Implicit Triggers team and the BBC. The implicit triggers team developed a 'mood of the nation' online experiment which was launched on the BBC Sunday Politics Scotland and BBC 2 Daily Politics Programmes and a link to the experimental quiz was hosted on the BBC web site. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Contextual effects : Englishness, regional transfers and support for the EU |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | Invited paper, 2nd European Consortium of Political Research Research Sessions: Sources of European identity and support for European integration: a multilevel approach, European University Institute, Florence, 21-22 June 2012. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | Flying the flag for Europe? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | User engagement events, 'Flying the Flag for Europe', Scotland House, Brussels (Nov 24 2011). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | Implicit EU identity triggers : preliminary results from a comparative experimental study |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | Seminar presentation of early results |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | Implicit identification with European Union : identity triggers in context |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | Lecture to graduate students and staff, Universite Libre, Bruxelles, 9 May 2012 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Mood of the nation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Launch of Strathclyde implicit Triggers team collaboration with the BBC on Mood of the Nation online quiz experiment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Mood of the nation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Launch of the Strathclyde Implicit Triggers team collaboration with the BBC on a quiz experiment. BBC 1 Sunday Politics Scotland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Mood of the nation results |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Film reporting results of the Mood of the Nation online experiment. Interview with Laura Cram fom the Implicit Triggers team. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Mood of the nation results |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Film by Ken Macdonald, BBC Scotland Science correspondent, reporting results of the Mood of the Nation online experiment. Interview with Laura Cram fom the Implicit Triggers team. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Social learning, symbols and European Union identity : designing experimental research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | Invited paper at Roskilde Book-making workshop, 6-7 June 2012. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |