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Misinformation and Support for Vigilantism: An Experiment in India and Pakistan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2024

SUMITRA BADRINATHAN Open the ORCID record for SUMITRA BADRINATHAN [Opens in a new window] ,
SIMON CHAUCHARD Open the ORCID record for SIMON CHAUCHARD [Opens in a new window]  and
NILOUFER SIDDIQUI Open the ORCID record for NILOUFER SIDDIQUI [Opens in a new window]
SUMITRA BADRINATHAN*
Affiliation:
American University, United States
SIMON CHAUCHARD*
Affiliation:
University Carlos III of Madrid and Institute Carlos 3-Juan March, Spain
NILOUFER SIDDIQUI*
Affiliation:
University at Albany—SUNY, United States
*
Corresponding author: Sumitra Badrinathan, Assistant Professor, Department of Politics, Governance, and Economics, American University, United States, sumitrab@american.edu.
Simon Chauchard, Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, University Carlos III of Madrid and Institute Carlos 3-Juan March, Spain, simon.chauchard@uc3m.es.
Niloufer Siddiqui, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University at Albany—SUNY, United States, nasiddiqui@albany.edu.
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Abstract

Vigilante violence, often targeting religious and sectarian minorities and preceded by unsubstantiated rumors, has taken the lives of many citizens in India and Pakistan in recent years. Despite its horrific nature, such vigilantism receives popular support. Can reducing the credibility of rumors via corrections decrease support for vigilantism? To answer this question, we field simultaneous, in-person experiments in Punjab, Pakistan, and Uttar Pradesh, India, regions where anti-minority vigilantism has been preceded by misinformation. We find that correcting rumors reduces support for vigilantism and increases the desire to hold vigilantes accountable. This effect is not attenuated by prior distrust toward out-groups. By contrast, information about state and elite behavior does not always shape attitudes toward vigilantism. These findings provide evidence that support for vigilantism can be reduced through the dissemination of credible information, even in polarized settings.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Political Science Review , First View , pp. 1 - 19
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of American Political Science Association

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