When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy

Achille Vicky Dzuetso Mouafo; Willy Taffo Nemboué; Gustave Adolphe Messanga

doi:doi:10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11

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When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy

Achille Vicky Dzuetso Mouafo, Willy Taffo Nemboué, Gustave Adolphe Messanga^*

Published in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 12, Issue 6)

Received: 14 October 2023 Accepted: 6 November 2023 Published: 17 November 2023

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Abstract

The paradox of political alienation as a social and scientific phenomenon is that, if on the social level it has remained a topical subject, perceptible through many citizens’ non-participation in formalized political activities, on the scientific level, on the other hand, it has experienced a long period of hibernation over several decades. Despite the recent revival of academic interest in this construct, methodological and theoretical gaps are perceptible. These relate respectively to the absence of a standardized instrument allowing it to be evaluated and to the fact that the data available until then, and which underlie the theoretical propositions on this construct, have been exclusively collected in democratic contexts, excluding authoritarian contexts, within which citizens’ disaffection for political activities is nevertheless a remarkable fact. This research aims to fill these gaps, through two studies carried out in Cameroon; an authoritarian democracy where institutional authoritarianism generates, among populations, a model of behavior consistent with the manifestations of political alienation. Study 1 (N= 1184) proposes a psychometric measure to assess individuals’ tendencies towards political alienation. The data collected provide satisfactory empirical evidence of its factorial and confirmatory structure, internal consistency, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Study 2 (N= 513) focuses on the link between perceived official terror and political alienation. It provides support for the hypothesis that perceived official terror generates political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy. The theoretical and empirical implications of political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy are discussed.

Published in	Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 12, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11
Page(s)	88-98
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Political Alienation, Political Inefficacy, Political Distrust, Authoritarian Democracy, Perceived Official Terror, Cameroon

References

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Mouafo, A. V. D., Nemboué, W. T., Messanga, G. A. (2023). When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 12(6), 88-98. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11

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Mouafo, A. V. D.; Nemboué, W. T.; Messanga, G. A. When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2023, 12(6), 88-98. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11

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Mouafo AVD, Nemboué WT, Messanga GA. When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy. Psychol Behav Sci. 2023;12(6):88-98. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11

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@article{10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11,
  author = {Achille Vicky Dzuetso Mouafo and Willy Taffo Nemboué and Gustave Adolphe Messanga},
  title = {When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy},
  journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
  volume = {12},
  number = {6},
  pages = {88-98},
  doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20231206.11},
  abstract = {The paradox of political alienation as a social and scientific phenomenon is that, if on the social level it has remained a topical subject, perceptible through many citizens’ non-participation in formalized political activities, on the scientific level, on the other hand, it has experienced a long period of hibernation over several decades. Despite the recent revival of academic interest in this construct, methodological and theoretical gaps are perceptible. These relate respectively to the absence of a standardized instrument allowing it to be evaluated and to the fact that the data available until then, and which underlie the theoretical propositions on this construct, have been exclusively collected in democratic contexts, excluding authoritarian contexts, within which citizens’ disaffection for political activities is nevertheless a remarkable fact. This research aims to fill these gaps, through two studies carried out in Cameroon; an authoritarian democracy where institutional authoritarianism generates, among populations, a model of behavior consistent with the manifestations of political alienation. Study 1 (N= 1184) proposes a psychometric measure to assess individuals’ tendencies towards political alienation. The data collected provide satisfactory empirical evidence of its factorial and confirmatory structure, internal consistency, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Study 2 (N= 513) focuses on the link between perceived official terror and political alienation. It provides support for the hypothesis that perceived official terror generates political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy. The theoretical and empirical implications of political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy are discussed.
},
 year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy
AU  - Achille Vicky Dzuetso Mouafo
AU  - Willy Taffo Nemboué
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T2  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JF  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JO  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
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PB  - Science Publishing Group
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AB  - The paradox of political alienation as a social and scientific phenomenon is that, if on the social level it has remained a topical subject, perceptible through many citizens’ non-participation in formalized political activities, on the scientific level, on the other hand, it has experienced a long period of hibernation over several decades. Despite the recent revival of academic interest in this construct, methodological and theoretical gaps are perceptible. These relate respectively to the absence of a standardized instrument allowing it to be evaluated and to the fact that the data available until then, and which underlie the theoretical propositions on this construct, have been exclusively collected in democratic contexts, excluding authoritarian contexts, within which citizens’ disaffection for political activities is nevertheless a remarkable fact. This research aims to fill these gaps, through two studies carried out in Cameroon; an authoritarian democracy where institutional authoritarianism generates, among populations, a model of behavior consistent with the manifestations of political alienation. Study 1 (N= 1184) proposes a psychometric measure to assess individuals’ tendencies towards political alienation. The data collected provide satisfactory empirical evidence of its factorial and confirmatory structure, internal consistency, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Study 2 (N= 513) focuses on the link between perceived official terror and political alienation. It provides support for the hypothesis that perceived official terror generates political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy. The theoretical and empirical implications of political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy are discussed.

VL  - 12
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Author Information

Achille Vicky Dzuetso Mouafo

Department of Philosophy and Psychology, University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon
Willy Taffo Nemboué

Department of Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon
Gustave Adolphe Messanga

Department of Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon

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Mouafo, A. V. D., Nemboué, W. T., Messanga, G. A. (2023). When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 12(6), 88-98. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11

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Mouafo, A. V. D.; Nemboué, W. T.; Messanga, G. A. When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2023, 12(6), 88-98. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11

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AMA Style

Mouafo AVD, Nemboué WT, Messanga GA. When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy. Psychol Behav Sci. 2023;12(6):88-98. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11

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@article{10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11,
  author = {Achille Vicky Dzuetso Mouafo and Willy Taffo Nemboué and Gustave Adolphe Messanga},
  title = {When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy},
  journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
  volume = {12},
  number = {6},
  pages = {88-98},
  doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20231206.11},
  abstract = {The paradox of political alienation as a social and scientific phenomenon is that, if on the social level it has remained a topical subject, perceptible through many citizens’ non-participation in formalized political activities, on the scientific level, on the other hand, it has experienced a long period of hibernation over several decades. Despite the recent revival of academic interest in this construct, methodological and theoretical gaps are perceptible. These relate respectively to the absence of a standardized instrument allowing it to be evaluated and to the fact that the data available until then, and which underlie the theoretical propositions on this construct, have been exclusively collected in democratic contexts, excluding authoritarian contexts, within which citizens’ disaffection for political activities is nevertheless a remarkable fact. This research aims to fill these gaps, through two studies carried out in Cameroon; an authoritarian democracy where institutional authoritarianism generates, among populations, a model of behavior consistent with the manifestations of political alienation. Study 1 (N= 1184) proposes a psychometric measure to assess individuals’ tendencies towards political alienation. The data collected provide satisfactory empirical evidence of its factorial and confirmatory structure, internal consistency, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Study 2 (N= 513) focuses on the link between perceived official terror and political alienation. It provides support for the hypothesis that perceived official terror generates political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy. The theoretical and empirical implications of political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy are discussed.
},
 year = {2023}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - When Perceived Official Terror Drives People out of Politics: A Systemic Analysis of Political Alienation in the Context of Authoritarian Democracy
AU  - Achille Vicky Dzuetso Mouafo
AU  - Willy Taffo Nemboué
AU  - Gustave Adolphe Messanga
Y1  - 2023/11/17
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11
T2  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JF  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JO  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
SP  - 88
EP  - 98
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7845
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20231206.11
AB  - The paradox of political alienation as a social and scientific phenomenon is that, if on the social level it has remained a topical subject, perceptible through many citizens’ non-participation in formalized political activities, on the scientific level, on the other hand, it has experienced a long period of hibernation over several decades. Despite the recent revival of academic interest in this construct, methodological and theoretical gaps are perceptible. These relate respectively to the absence of a standardized instrument allowing it to be evaluated and to the fact that the data available until then, and which underlie the theoretical propositions on this construct, have been exclusively collected in democratic contexts, excluding authoritarian contexts, within which citizens’ disaffection for political activities is nevertheless a remarkable fact. This research aims to fill these gaps, through two studies carried out in Cameroon; an authoritarian democracy where institutional authoritarianism generates, among populations, a model of behavior consistent with the manifestations of political alienation. Study 1 (N= 1184) proposes a psychometric measure to assess individuals’ tendencies towards political alienation. The data collected provide satisfactory empirical evidence of its factorial and confirmatory structure, internal consistency, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Study 2 (N= 513) focuses on the link between perceived official terror and political alienation. It provides support for the hypothesis that perceived official terror generates political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy. The theoretical and empirical implications of political alienation in the context of authoritarian democracy are discussed.

VL  - 12
IS  - 6
ER  -

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