Dynamics of Opposition – How Fear and Sorrow moderate Reactance Arousal during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Based on a previous study (Hajek & Häfner, in press) in which we investigated the dynamics of compliance with and political mobilization against the measures to contain the Coronavirus, we unexpectedly found that specific fear lowers reactance arousal whereas anxiety and dissonance amplify it. In a theoretical model, we suggested a channeling process between reactance arousal and the selected coping strategy steering the behavioral outcome towards compliance or resistance. The present data analysis is seeking to evaluate further and test this model. Therefore, we ask the following questions: Is there a resilient pattern that concrete fear diminishes reactance arousal and unspecific sorrow amplifies it? And on a process level: Do sorrow and fear mediate the effect of reactance on compliance? unknown other