A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Perceived Societal Fear and Cyberhate after the November 2015 Paris Terrorist Attacks
Authors: Oksanen Atte, Kaakinen Markus, Minkkinen Jaana, Räsänen Pekka, Enjolras Bernard, Steen-Johnsen Kari
Publisher: Routledge
Publication year: 2020
Journal: Terrorism and Political Violence
Journal name in source: Terrorism and Political Violence
Volume: 32
Issue: 5
First page : 1047
Last page: 1066
Number of pages: 20
ISSN: 0954-6553
eISSN: 1556-1836
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2018.1442329(external)
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2018.1442329(external)
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/31573931(external)
Fear is one of the negative outcomes of terrorist attacks. Currently, there is a need to understand how societal fear and fear of terrorism might be shaped and induced by social-media discussions. This study analyzed how exposure to cyberhate was associated with perceived societal fear after the November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks. Demographically balanced data sets were collected from France, Spain, Finland, Norway, and the United States four weeks after the attacks. Cyberhate exposure was associated with higher perceived societal fear in all countries studied even when adjusting for confounding factors. This was particularly evident in the case of cyberhate related to terrorism. Hateful online communication after disruptive events may contribute to a social climate of fear and escalate societal uncertainty. There are, however, indications that social trust may bolster against perceived societal fear, hence enhancing resilience.
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