Does Affective Intelligence Theory Travel?: Evidence from an Experiment in Kazakhstan

• In Event: The International Spread and Influence of Russia’s War Propaganda

Abstract

During international crises, domestic populations encounter competing strategic narratives that shape public understanding. Affective Intelligence Theory (AIT) suggests that anxiety disrupts habitual political thinking, prompting individuals to seek out more information, engage with a broader range of sources, and exhibit greater openness to counter-attitudinal perspectives. However, its applicability beyond Western electoral contexts remains untested. This study examines the role of anxiety in shaping responses to competing narratives about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a crisis that triggered widespread uncertainty. Using an online emotion-induction experiment in Kazakhstan (November-December 2024), I test whether anxiety influences information-seeking, source diversity, and receptivity to alternative perspectives. The results show no significant effects of anxiety on these behaviors, challenging AIT’s assumptions. Despite successful anxiety induction, respondents did not seek more information, engage with diverse media, or reconsider prior attitudes. These results challenge the assumption that AIT’s core mechanisms apply universally, raising questions about the theory’s generalizability beyond Western electoral contexts.

Author

• Raushan Zhandayeva, George Washington U