Why do people come to support a highly controversial law? Manipulating the clarity and coherence of a law can shape individuals’ perception and approval
Pourquoi les gens appuient-ils une loi controversée ? Manipuler la clarté et la cohérence d'une loi pour façonner la perception et l'approbation des individus
Résumé
In our research, we investigated the role of law clarity and coherence on individuals’ approval
of this law in the specific context of a widely discussed and controversial topic: the ban on
wearing religious signs in public spaces. We hypothesize that manipulating the clarity and
coherence of a law influences individuals’ approval of that law through a change of their
perception. We conducted two experiments in which participants read a fictitious proposed
law. We manipulated the degree of clarity and coherence of the law and measured
participants’ perception of and adherence to that law. The results consistently supported our
hypotheses. Our research contributes to the literature by showing how individuals’ perception
and approval of a law are malleable, even in the specific context of a hot topic. Furthermore,
these findings should sensitize policy makers on how to effectively communicate new
policies.
Domaines
Psychologie
Origine : Fichiers produits par l'(les) auteur(s)