Highlighting Commonalities can Increase the Legitimization of Critical Voices During Democratic Backsliding: Evidence from an Intervention Tournament

Delegitimization of social and political groups has emerged as a symptom of democratic recession across societies, in places such as Brazil, Russia, Hungary, Turkey and Israel-Palestine. Oftentimes, these delegitimized groups are critical movements and NGOs that are committed to the protection of democracy and promotion of peace. Our research examines what psychological interventions can contribute to the (re)legitimization of these critical voices. We consider two approaches to legitimization, meaning the recategorization of a target from illegitimate to legitimate: (1) interventions encouraging recategorization of societal actors based on common preferences, values and/or the common ingroup identity; and (2) interventions highlighting inconsistencies between delegitimizing attitudes and ingroup identity, values or interest. An intervention tournament among 1,692 Jewish Israelis tested six interventions, presented using the delegitimized organization’s voice and based on real information, against a generic Control condition. The results revealed that two interventions highlighting commonalities between the delegitimized group and mainstream attitudes and values were effective in increasing the group’s legitimization. These interventions, emphasizing common interests and common values, can be applied to relegitimize and amplify critical political voices in the context of democratic backsliding.