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Cited by 27Electoral Systems and Political ParticipationInternational Relations and Foreign PolicyPopulism, Right-Wing Movements

THE “RALLY ’ROUND THE FLAG” EFFECT IN TERRITORIAL DISPUTES: EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE FROM JAPAN–CHINA RELATIONS

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Kobayashi, Tetsuro, Katagiri, Azusa·2018·Journal of East Asian Studies
DOI 10.1017/jea.2018.21
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Abstract

This study examines the impact of China's growing territorial ambitions on Japanese public opinion. By experimentally manipulating perceived territorial threats from China, we tested two potential mechanisms of increased support for a conservative incumbent leader in Japan. The first is the “rally ’round the flag” model, in which threats universally boost support for the leader through emotion. The second is the “reactive liberal” model, in which support from conservatives remains constant, but threatened liberals move toward supporting the conservative leader. Two survey experiments provided no support for the emotion-based “rally ’round the flag” model, but they lent support for the reactive liberal model in explaining the impact on Japanese public opinion. However, the second experiment indicated that priming with an image of the prime minister that highlights his role as the supreme commander of the national defense forces completely eliminated the gain in approval rates among liberals.

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  • Experimental studies suggest that increasing system justification motivation may, in some cases, raise the national attachment levels of people who hold liberal views so that they more closely resemble those of people who hold conservative views, thereby temporarily reducing polarization on issues of patriotism - but not nationalism.

    “Experimental studies suggest that increasing system justification motivation may, in some cases, raise the national attachment levels of people who hold liberal views so that they more closely resemble those of people who hold conservative views, thereby temporarily reducing polarization on issues of patriotism — but not nationalism, defined as an attitude of superiority towards other countries282”

    From Cognitive–motivational mechanisms of political polarization in social-communicative contexts (2022) · cites this paper as [288]

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Authors
Kobayashi, T., & Katagiri, A.
Affiliations
Nanyang Technological University (SG)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of East Asian Studies
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
2018-07-13
Volume
18
Issue
3
Pages
299-319
ISSN
  • 1598-2408 (ISSN-L)
  • 2234-6643
DOI
10.1017/jea.2018.21
OpenAlex
W2883726201
Cited by
27
References
55
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1
FWCI
7.62
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified)
Locations
Journal of East Asian Studies (publishedVersion)
Funders
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (18H03627)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Electoral Systems and Political Participation
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › International Relations and Foreign Policy
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Populism, Right-Wing Movements
Keywords
rally around the flag effect, territorial disputes, Japan-China relations, public opinion, conservative voters, national defense

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