The Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic May Contribute to Outbreaks of Violent Protest and Antigovernment Sentiment
Association for Psychological ScienceThe sometimes-violent antigovernment demonstrations that erupted during 2020 and 2021 were fueled in part by the spread of extremist ideologies, conspiratorial thinking, and a criminal-justice system that disproportionately targets racial minorities. New research published in the journal Psychological Science also puts some of the blame for civil unrest and political violence on the psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic.