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Det fria ordets baksida: en experimentell studie om hur individer väger yttrandefrihet mot behovet av reglering

Liljeström, Lovisa LU and Robertson, Ida LU (2025) PSYK12 20251
Department of Psychology
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate how individuals position themselves regarding
freedom of speech versus regulation, depending on experimental manipulation
through vignettes, gender and ideological affiliation. Participants shown the
regulation vignette were hypothesised to view prejudiced statements as more
severe and needing more regulation than those shown a freedom of speech
vignette or the control group. Furthermore, it was expected that these effects
were moderated by ideological affiliation. The study also tested if gender
affects perceived severity and regulatory need of the statements. Individuals’
perceptions of prejudiced statements were examined using an experimental
design through a survey (N = 564). The participants... (More)
This study aimed to investigate how individuals position themselves regarding
freedom of speech versus regulation, depending on experimental manipulation
through vignettes, gender and ideological affiliation. Participants shown the
regulation vignette were hypothesised to view prejudiced statements as more
severe and needing more regulation than those shown a freedom of speech
vignette or the control group. Furthermore, it was expected that these effects
were moderated by ideological affiliation. The study also tested if gender
affects perceived severity and regulatory need of the statements. Individuals’
perceptions of prejudiced statements were examined using an experimental
design through a survey (N = 564). The participants were asked to assess the
severity and need of regulation of sexist and islamophobic statements. The
results showed that the experimental manipulation had no effect. However,
there was a significant interaction effect between vignette and ideological
affiliation regarding how offensive the statements were perceived. The
right-leaning participants found the statements least offensive after reading a
vignette, compared to the control group. The left-leaning participants
condemned them regardless of exposure. Ideological affiliation and gender
were found to have significant main effects. The men and right-leaning
participants perceived the statements as less serious and needing less
regulation than the women and left-leaning participants. Theories regarding
social influence, psychological reactance, desensitisation, dehumanisation, and
hate speech, could explain these results. The findings may have implications
for how society interprets and handles hateful expressions online. Through this
study, the issue of freedom of speech versus the need for regulation is brought
to attention further. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka hur individer ställer sig till
yttrandefrihet respektive reglering, beroende på experimentell manipulation
genom vinjetter, kön samt ideologisk tillhörighet. Det förväntades att
deltagarna som tar del av vinjetten om reglering uppfattar fördomsfulla
yttranden som mer allvarliga och i större behov av reglering, jämfört med de
som tar del av vinjetten om yttrandefrihet eller tillhör kontrollgruppen. Vidare
förväntades effekterna modereras av ideologisk tillhörighet. Det testades även
om kön påverkar uppfattad allvarlighetsgrad och regleringsbehov av
yttrandena. Individers uppfattning av fördomsfulla yttranden undersöktes med
en experimentell design genom en enkät (N = 564). Deltagarna... (More)
Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka hur individer ställer sig till
yttrandefrihet respektive reglering, beroende på experimentell manipulation
genom vinjetter, kön samt ideologisk tillhörighet. Det förväntades att
deltagarna som tar del av vinjetten om reglering uppfattar fördomsfulla
yttranden som mer allvarliga och i större behov av reglering, jämfört med de
som tar del av vinjetten om yttrandefrihet eller tillhör kontrollgruppen. Vidare
förväntades effekterna modereras av ideologisk tillhörighet. Det testades även
om kön påverkar uppfattad allvarlighetsgrad och regleringsbehov av
yttrandena. Individers uppfattning av fördomsfulla yttranden undersöktes med
en experimentell design genom en enkät (N = 564). Deltagarna fick ta
ställning till allvarlighetsgraden samt regleringsbehovet av sexistiska och
islamofobiska yttranden. Resultatet visade att den experimentella
manipulationen inte hade någon påverkan i sig. Det fanns dock en signifikant
interaktionseffekt mellan vinjett och ideologisk tillhörighet avseende hur
stötande yttrandena ansågs vara. Deltagarna med högerideologisk tillhörighet
uppfattade yttrandena som minst stötande efter att ha tagit del av en vinjett,
jämfört med kontrollgruppen. Deltagarna med vänsterideologisk tillhörighet
fördömde yttrandena oavsett om de har tagit del av en vinjett eller inte.
Ideologisk tillhörighet och kön hade en signifikant huvudeffekt på hur
yttrandena uppfattas, männen och de högerorienterade uppfattade dem som
mindre allvarliga och mindre behov av reglering än kvinnorna och de
vänsterorienterade. Resultatet kunde tolkas utifrån teorier om social påverkan,
psykologisk reaktans, desensibilisering, avhumanisering samt hatiska
yttranden. Resultatet kan ha implikationer för hur samhället tolkar och
hanterar hatiska yttranden på internet. Genom studien aktualiseras frågan om
yttrandefrihet kontra regleringsbehov ytterligare. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Liljeström, Lovisa LU and Robertson, Ida LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
The Dark Side of Free Speech: An Experimental Study on How Individuals Balance Freedom of Speech Against the Need for Regulation
course
PSYK12 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
freedom of speech, need for regulation, hate speech, sexism, islamophobia, ideology, gender, yttrandefrihet, regleringsbehov, hatiska yttranden, islamofobi, ideologi, kön
language
Swedish
id
9200756
date added to LUP
2025-06-17 13:21:48
date last changed
2025-06-17 13:21:48
@misc{9200756,
  abstract     = {{This study aimed to investigate how individuals position themselves regarding
freedom of speech versus regulation, depending on experimental manipulation
through vignettes, gender and ideological affiliation. Participants shown the
regulation vignette were hypothesised to view prejudiced statements as more
severe and needing more regulation than those shown a freedom of speech
vignette or the control group. Furthermore, it was expected that these effects
were moderated by ideological affiliation. The study also tested if gender
affects perceived severity and regulatory need of the statements. Individuals’
perceptions of prejudiced statements were examined using an experimental
design through a survey (N = 564). The participants were asked to assess the
severity and need of regulation of sexist and islamophobic statements. The
results showed that the experimental manipulation had no effect. However,
there was a significant interaction effect between vignette and ideological
affiliation regarding how offensive the statements were perceived. The
right-leaning participants found the statements least offensive after reading a
vignette, compared to the control group. The left-leaning participants
condemned them regardless of exposure. Ideological affiliation and gender
were found to have significant main effects. The men and right-leaning
participants perceived the statements as less serious and needing less
regulation than the women and left-leaning participants. Theories regarding
social influence, psychological reactance, desensitisation, dehumanisation, and
hate speech, could explain these results. The findings may have implications
for how society interprets and handles hateful expressions online. Through this
study, the issue of freedom of speech versus the need for regulation is brought
to attention further.}},
  author       = {{Liljeström, Lovisa and Robertson, Ida}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Det fria ordets baksida: en experimentell studie om hur individer väger yttrandefrihet mot behovet av reglering}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}