American Politics Commons^™

Climate Change Skepticism: Who And Why?, Mia Huyen Truong

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Despite persistent scientific consensus urging immediate action, political polarization, and skepticism have hindered effective climate change mitigation, especially in the United States. This paper explores the factors influencing climate change attitudes among different groups, focusing on right-wing affiliates and Christian believers. Drawing on the Anti-Reflexivity Thesis (McCright and Dunlap, 2001-2010) and Information Processing Theory (Wood & Vedlitz, 2007), we investigate the effects of individual characteristics, including partisan ideology, party identification, educational attainment, and Christian faith. Using Wave 7 (2021) of the Chapman Survey of American Fears Survey, a nationwide sample of different fears among U.S. adults, this study aims to …

Public Opinion On Illegal Immigration In The United States: Understanding The Xenophobic Sentiments Towards Illegal Immigrants, Alexandra Martinez

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Over the past 10 years, the topic of illegal immigration has divided Americans with the past three presidencies. This paper investigates the relationship between party ID,media exposure, education and religion with the views a person has on illegal immigration. Using the Chapman Survey of American Fears, I found a moderately strong relationship between an individual's party-identification and how much fear
they show towards the topic of illegal immigration throughout the United States. I found that media exposure and a person’s political identification correlates with their views on illegal immigration. Among the interesting findings, I can conclude that individuals with more …

Political Participation: Beyond The Vote, Miriam Elfahdi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Participation in political and social matters is a core part of democracy. The manner in which people participate varies vastly and can have different outcomes. In this essay I will examine the relationship between respondents' age, income, gender, race, and education level and the way they participate politically. Using reliable data from the American National Election Studies, I will examine the previously listed independent variables to various questions on political participation from the 2020 version of the survey. Among the findings, I find a mild relationship between age and attendance in protests/rallies. These findings point to the importance of analyzing …

Social Media Effects On People's Fear Of Terrorism, Cameron Pastore

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In the past few decades, social media has constantly been upgraded to comply with users' needs. Social media has become a prevalent tool today as many use it to share their thoughts and gain a glimpse into other people's lives, but a lot of people also use social media to obtain news about what is going on in the world and their communities. In this article, I examine social media’s influence on people's fear of a potential terrorist attack on their homeland. The data for this research was obtained through The Chapman University Survey on American Fears (CSAF), conducted in …

Qanon Deconstructed: Faith And Lies, Sam Andrus

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

All prior categorizations of conspiracy theories fall short when applied to the system of belief known as QAnon. This paper first examines the previous literature that laid down a basis for understanding the nature of conspiracies and isolates aspects of the QAnon canon to delineate and test the predictors of belief. The data for this research were obtained from the 2020 wave of the Chapman Survey of American Fears (CSAF) conducted by the Earl Babbie Research Center at Chapman University. Layered crosstabulation tests and multiple linear regression results find that conspiratorial thinking outweighs partisanship when predicting QAnon belief. Strikingly, despite …

The Influence Of Religion On Immigration Public Opinion, Olga Alvertos

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This study explores the ways in which the religious beliefs of individuals influence their opinion on immigration and immigration related policy. While seemingly separate topics, the two are interwoven through variables such as party affiliation, education level, and age. Previous studies show a clear correlation between frequent attendance of religious services and positive views on immigration and related policies. This topic has yet to be explored in depth and with reference to frequency of religious attendance. Using ANES data, my goal with this research is to determine if a strong attachment to religion affects public opinion of immigration policy and …

The Levels And Discrepancies Of America’S Fear Of Terrorism, Kate Lindfors

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Within the United States, individuals do not appear to possess an accurate understanding of terrorism and the threat it may pose to Americans. This not only creates inaccurate perceptions of the actual risk levels associated with terrorism in the U.S. but a misunderstanding of the potential sources of terrorist threats and the impact they could have on the country. In this paper, I will examine this misunderstanding of contemporary terrorism, particularly in relation to America’s inflated sense of fear and general misplacement of the threat. In order to examine this topic, I have used the Chapman University Survey on American …

Biopolitics And Belief: The Impacts Of Religious Attitudes On Reproductive Rights In The U.S., Katlyn Barbaccia

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973)—a groundbreaking case that legalized the right to have an abortion—which signified a deep rift in the nation between the opinions of its lawmakers and citizens in the wake of a widening partisan gap. Biopower, according to Foucault, can be defined as the governing of bodies wherein citizens are stripped of bodily autonomy and are closely regulated by the nation-state. Manifested in political consequences, this can be defined as biopolitics, or when the nation-state’s ideas are made into a reality in the political realm. …

Down The Rabbit Hole: Understanding The Instigators Of The Qanon Conspiracy, Trevor Mcnally

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Conspiratorial ideas have permeated the American ethos for decades. Whether it be Hollywood faking the moon landing to government involvement in the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers, there has always been a subsection of the population who believes larger relevant forces are at work. As humanity moves towards a more digital existence, conspiracy theorists also have advanced; enter Qanon. This paper will attempt to deduce the correlation between members of the Qanon community and what external factors could drive one to this belief. Qanon is a conspiratorial community that has attached itself to former President Donald Trump; their thoughts …

What Are You Scared Of? How Social Media News Consumption Impacts Voter Fear, Emilie Haskell

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In the ideal world, all voters create the perfect democracy by voting through rational choice: logically comparing the available candidates, and selecting the one they perceive to best promote the public good. However, this is not always the case, and the rise of social media news has brought new levels of fear and distrust into the polls. In this piece, I will be examining whether those who reported getting their news from social media are likely to vote for a politician because of their fears. I will be using data collected by the 2020/21 edition of the Chapman Survey of …

How Conservative Media Influences Views On Illegal Immigration, Juhi Doshi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Conservative media sources tend to amplify antiimmigrant rhetoric on their news platforms. Relying on the 2021 Chapman Survey of American Fears, I examine how conservative media sources like FOX News may influence how likely one is to fear illegal immigration in comparison to someone who watches CNN. Data is sourced from questions that ask subjects how afraid they are of illegal immigration, where they get their news from, what their racial attitudes are, and their political affiliation. The topic of illegal immigration has been studied for years, however there is not much literature published on how media consumption can directly …

Why Do Americans Report A Greater Fear Of Government Restrictions On Firearms Than In Years Prior?, Ethan Oppenheim

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In recent years, studies have shown that support for increased gun control legislation has decreased to its lowest point in nearly a decade and yearly gun sales have approached record numbers. Statistical data found in the Chapman Survey of American Fears suggests that over the past three years, the percentage of Americans who fear government restrictions on firearms has dramatically increased. In this project, I examine this dramatic shift in sentiments and identify the racial, ethnic, and religious demographics which are driving these evolving sentiments on firearm regulations. Upon observing responses given in the most recent survey as well as …

Checkerboard Of Interests: Native American Tribes And The Politics Of Land Tenure Reform, Anika Manuel

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

People have long disputed over the financial system constructed for indigenous communities and their resulting economic rights within U.S. native reservations. Indigenous tribes themselves remain split concerning the state of their tribal economies. Although scholars have extensively researched the historical component regarding the construction of the financial system we see in place today, very few have focused on the politics and rationale behind certain policy positions of relevant actors in modern-day society. In an attempt to fill this gap, this research paper will focus on answering two key questions: How has public policy shaped the economic and property rights of …

Does Fear Of Government Corruption Affect Voter Turnout?, Ryan Nahmias

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

According to the Survey of American Fears (2020-2021) fear of corrupt government officials is the number one thing Americans fear: 79.6 % of them in fact. In addition, voter turnout is one of the quintessential pillars that allows a democracy to function properly. In this paper I will examine the extent to which fear of government officials’ corruption affects voter turnout. Using the data from the Chapman Survey of American Fears and variables from the American National Election Study between 2020 and 2021, I expect to find a moderately strong relationship between fear of government corruption and voter turnout. Moreover, …

Political Parties On Campus: College Republicans And College Democrats’ Conceptions Of Partisanship, Philip Goodrich

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This project seeks to examine College Republicans and College Democrats’ conceptions of partisanship. Specifically, I will test a theory set forth by Matt Grossmann and David A. Hopkins that claims the “Republican Party is best viewed as the agent of an ideological movement whose members are united by a common devotion to the principle of limited government” and the “Democratic Party is properly understood as a coalition of social groups whose interests are served by various forms of government activity” (2015). By performing a content analysis of College Republicans and College Democrats’ social media posts, I hypothesize that College Democrats …

The Rise And Fall Of The American Fear Of Climate Change: Examining The Trends Of Climate Change Fear In The United States, Hannah Waldorf

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The changing climate is a situation that can be characterized by the threat of dangerous and irreparable changes to the planet. These alterations include an increase in global temperatures, food and water insecurities, extreme weather patterns, social unrest, and political conflict. Fear of the climate’s change has decreased within the past two years (2020 and 2021)—this paper will examine factors that influence the change in American climate fear. Using data from The Chapman University Survey on American Fears (CSAF)—which includes 1,035 participants—it is expected that the current downward trend in climate change fear is rooted in changes of media consumption, …

Fear And Skepticism: A Changing Climate During The Trump Era, Devin Lopez

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Public awareness of the climate crisis has increased over the past several decades due in part to increased exposure to climate science and the drastic reports released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This report uses the past four years of the Chapman Survey on American Fears to track the groups most fearful of climate change and those who have high levels of environmental concern. The variables tracked across these years include individual income, education level, age, political ideology and party identification, as well as the extent to which one believes the Bible is literal in its content. These …

Media Influences On Fear Of Immigrants, Mira Eissa

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The 2016 election and President Donald Trump’s administration, tapped into U.S. citizens’ polarization regarding the topic of immigration. There was and is a clear negative depiction of immigrants in many different local and national outlets including social media. Using the data collected from Chapman's survey of American fears in 2021, I analyze how fear of immigrants is related to media consumption. Social media and news outlets' coverage of immigrants directly influences the public’s attitudes. Agenda setting, priming, and framing help us understand that news and media construct a perception for people that might not be accurate. Citizens have formed their …

The Distrust Of Experts, Noah Smith

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This paper will compile demographic data and analyze their correspondence with trust of expert opinion in order to develop a profile of individuals who mistrust expert opinions. I will be using the American National Election Survey of 2020 as the central data source for this paper. I will also be using supplementary data from research into trust of expertise to create my profile. The mistrust of expert opinions has been an issue simmering in the background of American politics for quite some time. Previously its largest impact was on the discourse and policy surrounding climate change. Now it is also …

The Rise Of Social Media And The Fall Of Internal Peace: How Do Media Influence People's Fear Of Mass Shootings?, Christian Grevin

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The impact of traditional versus social media on people’s fears of a mass shooting is a matter worthy of study given the scarcity of research and analysis, as well as the prominence mass shootings have gained in American society and media. Many studies have been conducted evaluating the connection between local TV news and fear, showing that the consumption of local TV news has increased people's fear of crimes. However, there have been few studies examining the relationship between social media usage and one’s fear of crime. In this paper, I will examine the correlation between fear of mass shootings …

Behind The Belief: Predictors Of Why People Believe In Conspiracy Theories, Erisa Castillo

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Many people have used conspiracy theories as explanations to justify situations or events that the United States Government has carried out; however, many have no reliable evidence. These theories are often made by power groups that are usually politically motivated. So why do people believe in conspiracy theories? One reason may be our lack of confidence, trust, and transparency between our government and us as American citizens. Using the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, I will look into the various variables that play leading factors in why people are influenced into believing conspiracy theories. Also, whether one conspiracy theory …

Covid 19 & Qanon: Enter The World Of Conspiracies, Gianluca Allesina

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

From Covid-19 to Qanon to a global warming hoax, we live in a world drowning in misinformation spread on the internet. Q-anonymous, a purposed government “leaker” is an alleged high-level government informant, according to Qanon followers, who posted cryptic messages about a satanic government on the now-defunct forum website, 8chan. This project will examine the possible relationship between a belief in various conspiracy theories associated with Qanon and how the Coronavirus affected rates of belief, utilizing the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a national study using a representative sample of U.S. adults. I expect to find that partisanship will play …

Qanon: The Effects Of Radical Ideology On Conspiracy Belief, Sam Andrus

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The study of conspiracy theories has existed for many decades, however, a new species of conspiracy, labeled QAnon, has surfaced in recent years - QAnon theories are directly tied to current radical politics and former President Donald Trump. My research will aim to explain how the outlandish and often racist beliefs of QAnon followers have come to be not only believed but have affected so many people that a terrorist attack on the United States Capitol occurred as a result. My research will include analysis of the Chapman Survey of American Fears which includes people on both sides of the …

Media Frames And Their Impact On Support For Immigrants And Immigrant Policies, Lisbeth Rosales

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In this paper we will examine how media framing and how certain types of frames influence support for immigrants in the United States. I examine how likely a potential voter is to support immigrants and immigrant policies based on the information they are presented in the media, paying special attention to the use of equivalency frames, policy frames, episodic and thematic frames. The influence these frames have varies, depending on how they are used and what specific groups they target. It was also discovered that political ideology and location does influence the support or opposition for immigrants and immigrant issues. …

The Partisan Effects Of Covid-19: News Sources And Mask Wearing, Lily Martin

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Within only one year of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, risk prevention, including the use of a mask to prevent spread of the disease, became incredibly politicized within the United States. By looking at mainstream media sources such as CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC, in this article I will be examining how news media sources affect the viewer's perceptions of mask wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I found that individuals who choose to watch FOX news every day were most likely to disagree that …

Vaccine Hesitancy, The Covid 19 Pandemic, And Christian Fundamentalism, Nicole Drew

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Over the past few decades, religion has continued to move to the forefront of American politics, with many viewing fundamental Christianity as synonymous with the Republican Party. Donald Trump's presidency has increased this tenfold, with significant figures within American Christianity voicing their support for him and tying him into Biblical prophecies. In the media, this appears to have affected how this demographic views the COVID 19 pandemic. The literature in this area focuses heavily on American Christians' response to mask mandates, stay-at-home orders, and other attempts to mitigate the spread of the CoronaVirus; however, research on how this same demographic …

Sovereignty, Statehood, And Subjugation: Native Hawaiian And Japanese American Discourse Over Hawaiian Statehood, Nicole Saito

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Although discourse over Hawaiian statehood has increasingly been described by scholars as a racial conflict between Japanese Americans and Native Hawaiians, there existed a broad spectrum of interactions between the two groups. Both communities were forced to confront the prejudices they had against each other while recognizing their shared experiences with discrimination, creating a paradoxical political culture of competition and solidarity up until the conclusion of World War Two. From 1946 to 1950, however, the country’s collective understanding of Japanese American citizenship began to shift with recognition of the community’s military service record and an increased proportion of veterans elected …

Fear Of Illegal Immigration, Sofia Sanchez

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Illegal immigration has continuously been a hot topic, and the American population has obsessed over what measures should be taken with these people, if any. In a qualitative study, the fear of illegal immigration is going to be analyzed based on various independent variables such as ideology, party identification, and media, based on results from the Fear 2020 survey. The Chapman Survey of American Fear began in 2018, analyzing people’s different fears nationwide, and how those might be related to other characteristics. Previous research analyzes attitudes towards illegal immigration; however the fear component will be a new addition to this …

Religion And Politics: The Influence Of Religious Affiliation And Beliefs On Political Participation, Samuel Gonzalez

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Religion has had a significant effect on voter participation in the United States and continues to change with society as it continues to develop into a more diverse environment. The “God Gap”, a coined term used to describe the more religiously attentive an individual is the more likely they are to vote Republican. Many different survey studies of the 2004 American National Election Survey (ANES) have supported this term with data showing a gap between republican and democratic votes when individuals report their attendance to religious services more than once a week.

Of those that participated in the 2016 American …

The End Of The World: Fear Of The Apocalypse, Hannah Richardson

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Predicting the end of the world has been a practice for thousands of years. In recent years, it was seen in 1891 with the Mormon Armageddon, 2000 with Y2k, and 2012 when the Mayan calendar was believed to have ended. While these moments in history are often seen as entertainment by the greater population, there are many groups of people that support and live by the idea that the world will end in their lifetime or the near future. This paper will develop ideas of why people form a fear of the world ending, and the public opinion around this …