Perceptions of the present shape imagined futures: Unravelling the interplay between perceived anomie, collective future thinking and collective action in the French context.

Abstract

In four studies (N_total = 1832 French participants), we tested if perceiving present society as disintegrated and disregulated (i.e. perceived anomie) would foster the projection of a negative national future and feelings of collective angst; which would in turn predict increased present intentions to engage in actions aimed at defending the country. Perceived anomie was measured (Pilot Study) or manipulated (Studies 1-3). In the Pilot study, we found that perceiving high disregulation in present society was associated with the evocation of distressing national futures (e.g. war/misery), stronger collective angst and greater support for action against outgroups (e.g. closing borders). Similarly, when anomie was made salient (vs. not), participants projected more negative French futures (Study 1), believed more that the situation of France will deteriorate in the future (Study 2) and reported stronger collective angst (both studies); which in turn predicted greater support/intentions to engage in different type of defensive collective action and especially anti-immigration actions (both studies). In Study 3, the effects were not significant despite descriptive patterns in the expected direction. Altogether, these results suggest that the way people think about the national future is shaped by their perceptions of the present and contributes to predict their current actions.