An Experimental Study on The Framing of The New Constitution and Social Distance Among Groups in Turkey: Security Versus Liberty Frames, Personality and Political Values

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of security and liberty-framed constitutional vignettes on social distance and political tolerance among university students in Türkiye. The research was conducted in the aftermath of the 2016 coup attempt, exploring how concepts of security and liberty influence attitudes toward various social groups. Using experimental manipulation and quantitative analysis, the study measured changes in social distance, tolerance levels, and emotional responses before and after exposure to different framing scenarios. The findings revealed that the security-framed scenarios led to higher social distance scores toward least-liked groups, indicating that emphasizing security may increase social distance and alienation towards certain groups. However, there was no significant difference in political tolerance levels between the security and liberty frames. Additionally, socio-economic status was found to significantly affect negative emotions, with lower socio-economic status associated with higher levels of negative affect. This study makes a significant contribution to understanding how political framing impacts social attitudes in a post-crisis context. By examining the effects of security and liberty framing on social distance and tolerance in the wake of a major socio-political event, this research provides valuable insights into the psychological and social dynamics at play. The findings also highlight the role of socio-economic factors in shaping emotional responses, offering important considerations for future research in this area.