Political leaders and nepotism : What we are willing to accept
in condition of threat

k 2025

Political leaders and nepotism : What we are willing to accept in condition of threat

CIGÁN, Jakub; Radek KUNDT a Radim CHVAJA

Základní údaje

Originální název

Political leaders and nepotism : What we are willing to accept in condition of threat

Autoři

CIGÁN, Jakub ; Radek KUNDT a Radim CHVAJA

Vydání

Religious studies meet psychology : Experimental research in cross-cultural perspective, Brno, ČR, 2025

Další údaje

Jazyk

angličtina

Typ výsledku

Prezentace na konferencích

Obor

60304 Religious studies

Stát vydavatele

Česká republika

Utajení

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Označené pro přenos do RIV

Organizační jednotka

Filozofická fakulta

Klíčová slova anglicky

nepotism; autocratic leadership; perceived threat; group loyalty; moral hypocrisy; social resilience

Příznaky

Mezinárodní význam

Změněno: 5. 3. 2026 17:59, Mgr. Ivona Vrzalová

Anotace

V originále

This research addresses the global phenomenon of backsliding democracy and the recent shift toward autocratic leaders in democratic nations. By integrating perspectives from religious studies and psychology, the study explores how social and cultural threats—frequently utilized in political rhetoric—impact social resilience and political polarization. The theoretical framework focuses on the tension between moral universalism and group loyalty, specifically how threat or conflict may cause individuals to prioritize their kin and in-group. The paper aims at testing the prediction that a perceived threat, and the resulting need for a strong authoritative leader to protect the group, will decrease sensitivity to that leader’s moral hypocrisy. Furthermore, the researchers hypothesize that participants in a threat condition will exhibit higher levels of support for nepotism compared to those in non-threat conditions, or at least show a diminished preference for non-nepotistic leaders. The experimental design includes a pilot study dedicated to free-listing social and cultural threats and measuring the balance between individual morality and group loyalty. The main study employs threat/non-threat exposure and uses vignettes or behavioral measures to evaluate participant support for nepotistic versus non-nepotistic leaders. Future steps for this research include investigating the specific mechanisms behind these reactions, exploring varied types of threats, and examining the "sacredness" of leaders who appear "immune to law".

Návaznosti

CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004595, interní kód MU

Název: Za hranice bezpečnosti: role konfliktu v posilování odolnosti

Investor: Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy ČR, Za hranice bezpečnosti: role konfliktu v posilování odolnosti, Priorita 1 - Výzkum a vývoj

EH22_008/0004595, projekt VaV

Název: Za hranice bezpečnosti: role konfliktu v posilování odolnosti

Citovat

CIGÁN, Jakub; Radek KUNDT a Radim CHVAJA. Political leaders and nepotism : What we are willing to accept in condition of threat. In Religious studies meet psychology : Experimental research in cross-cultural perspective, Brno, ČR. 2025.

@proceedings{2543541,
   author = {Cigán, Jakub and Kundt, Radek and Chvaja, Radim},
   booktitle = {Religious studies meet psychology : Experimental research in cross-cultural perspective, Brno, ČR},
   keywords = {nepotism; autocratic leadership; perceived threat; group loyalty; moral hypocrisy; social resilience},
   language = {eng},
   title = {Political leaders and nepotism : What we are willing to accept in condition of threat},
   year = {2025}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 2543541
AU  - Cigán, Jakub - Kundt, Radek - Chvaja, Radim
PY  - 2025
TI  - Political leaders and nepotism : What we are willing to accept in condition of threat
KW  - nepotism
KW  - autocratic leadership
KW  - perceived threat
KW  - group loyalty
KW  - moral hypocrisy
KW  - social resilience
N2  - This research addresses the global phenomenon of backsliding democracy and the recent shift toward autocratic leaders in democratic nations. By integrating perspectives from religious studies and psychology, the study explores how social and cultural threats—frequently utilized in political rhetoric—impact social resilience and political polarization. The theoretical framework focuses on the tension between moral universalism and group loyalty, specifically how threat or conflict may cause individuals to prioritize their kin and in-group. The paper aims at testing the prediction that a perceived threat, and the resulting need for a strong authoritative leader to protect the group, will decrease sensitivity to that leader’s moral hypocrisy. Furthermore, the researchers hypothesize that participants in a threat condition will exhibit higher levels of support for nepotism compared to those in non-threat conditions, or at least show a diminished preference for non-nepotistic leaders. The experimental design includes a pilot study dedicated to free-listing social and cultural threats and measuring the balance between individual morality and group loyalty. The main study employs threat/non-threat exposure and uses vignettes or behavioral measures to evaluate participant support for nepotistic versus non-nepotistic leaders. Future steps for this research include investigating the specific mechanisms behind these reactions, exploring varied types of threats, and examining the "sacredness" of leaders who appear "immune to law".
ER  -

CIGÁN, Jakub; Radek KUNDT a Radim CHVAJA. Political leaders and nepotism : What we are willing to accept in condition of threat. In \textit{Religious studies meet psychology : Experimental research in cross-cultural perspective, Brno, ČR}. 2025.

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