Collective Threats Don’t Boost Conservatism

Contrary to classic political‑psychology claims, exposure to collective threats (war, pandemics, economic shocks) may not produce broad shifts toward ideological conservatism across a population. This suggests responses to threat are heterogeneous and context‑dependent rather than mechanically right‑ward. — If true, it undermines a common assumption used by scholars and political actors about how publics respond to crises, changing expectations for election dynamics and crisis messaging.