The relationship between cross-cutting exposure and political tolerance: the case of Turkey

Date

2017

Author

Paksoy, Cansu

Metadata

Show full item record

Item Usage Stats

229
views

0
downloads

Political tolerance is a crucial issue in Turkey due to potential political polarization, prolonged inter-ethnic conflicts, and negative views toward minorities. This study examines the relationship between cross-cutting exposure and political tolerance based on the beneficial consequences of cross-cutting exposure for deliberation (i.e., unbiased information seeking, ambivalence, a realistic perspective towards one’s own view). The present study replicates the hypothesis that cross-cutting discussion (i.e., being exposed to oppositional political perspectives) can predict greater awareness of opposing viewpoints, which in turn predicts greater political tolerance (Mutz, 2002). In addition, I expect that need for cognitive closure moderates the relationship between cross-cutting exposure and awareness of opposing views. In measuring the awareness of opposing arguments, three conflictual political issues and poles for each issue in Turkey were determined with a pilot study with 74 participants. Accordingly, issue labels were “Presidency System”, “Kurdish Problem” and “Freedom and Human Rights”. In the main study, 299 participants (F=134, M=164) reported their need for cognitive closure, opinions regarding the three contradictory issues, awareness of opposing views, and their political tolerance. Using Hayes’s (2013) PROCESS macro, results supported mediation hypothesis, but not the moderation hypothesis. Findings of the study, potential implications and future suggestions are discussed.

Subject Keywords

Political sociology., Political psychology., Political socialization., Polarization (Social sciences)., Psychology M.S. thesis

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12621142/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/26551

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

The Fusion of individual and group levels: the case of political party supporters within extreme pro-group action process Özdemir, Fatih; Özkan, Türker; Department of Psychology (2018) The current research aimed to rationalize the relations of opposition political parties' supporters with local in-group (supporters of the supported political party), extended in-group (T.C citizens) and three local out-groups (supporters of ruling party and other two opposition parties) in both individual and group levels using identity and deprivation theories, and answer the question of why people indicate extreme self-sacrificing behaviors for the sake of in-group members. To be more precise, this study...
The 'Kurdish question' in Turkey From the Perspectives of Kurdish University students Effeney, Elizabeth; Erdemir, Aykan; Department of Middle East Studies (2009) This thesis is concerned with extrapolating some central issues of the so-called “Kurdish Question” in the Republic of Turkey by applying political anthropological theory and methodologies. It attempts to guage the political identities of five Kurdish University students and understand their perspectives on what constitutes and propogates Kurdish political discontents in the Republic. The following research questions have been addressed: How is Turkey‟s “Kurdish question” (Kürt Meselesi) perceived and defin...
The Impact of EU-based Populism on Turkey-EU Relations Alpan, Başak Zeynep (Informa UK Limited, 2019-10-02) The May 2019 EP elections once again highlighted the current cultural backlash throughout Europe against progressive values such as cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism, which impacts on the 'future of Europe' debate, raising important questions for the evolution of Turkey-EU relations. Even though Turkey is no longer a hot topic in EU political parlance and public opinion, opposition to Turkish EU membership continues in the form of nativism, particularly with reference to the issues of immigration and Isl...
The bifurcation of political Islam in Turkey : the case of the People's Voice party Arslan, Nursel; Şen, Mustafa; Department of Sociology (2012) This study aims to show why there was a schism within National Outlook (Milli Görüş, MG) in Turkey during 2000s, why political Islamist parties having different discourse from MG emerged, and more specifically why and how People's Voice Party (Halkın Sesi Partisi - HAS Party) differed from MG and political Islamist parties. The argument of this study is that socioeconomic factors have played an important role in differentiation of political Islam in Turkey and transformation of MG. Consequently, I tried to ...
The Turkish Parliamentary Elite and the EU: Mapping Attitudes towards the European Union AKSIT, Sait; Şenyuva, Özgehan; Gurleyen, Isik (Informa UK Limited, 2011-01-01) This study aims to map out the opinions and attitudes of the Turkish parliamentary elite regarding Turkey's membership of the European Union in general and the future of Europe in particular. The parliamentary elite group consists of political party representatives present in the current Turkish Grand National Assembly. The study uses the findings of the Turkish Elite Survey 2009 conducted by the Center for European Studies, Middle East Technical University. The article argues that while Turkish parliamenta...

Citation Formats

C. Paksoy, “The relationship between cross-cutting exposure and political tolerance: the case of Turkey,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2017.