For more information, you can contact the researcher, Ricardo Acuña Martín
(ricardo.acunamartin@students.uva.nl). For any complaints or further questions about the study, please contact the Ethics Committee:
ASCoR Secretariat Ethics Committee
University of Amsterdam PO Box 15793
1001 NG Amsterdam Tel: +31 205253680
Email: ascor-secr-fmg@uva.nl
Thank you in advance for your support.
Ricardo Acuña Martín
Graduate School of Communication, University of Amsterdam.
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Q1 By checking the box below as a sign of informed consent you agree, fully and voluntarily, to participate in this research study and you agree with the following statements: I want to participate in the study and I agree that my data will be collected and recorded anonymously, and under no circumstances will be shared with other parties or used for commercial purposes. I have read and understand clearly the information about the research provided in the previous page. I am 18 years old or older.
o
Yes, I agree with the statements above (1)End of Block: Block 1: Introduction
Start of Block: Block 2: Nationality confirmation Q2 Are you a Dutch citizen?
o
Yes (1)o
No (2)End of Block: Block 2: Nationality confirmation
Start of Block: Block 2: Other nationality Q2a Where are you from?
o
Germany (1)o
Austria (2)o
Belgium (3)o
Luxembourg (4)o
Denmark (5)o
Sweden (6)o
Finland (7)o
Other (9)End of Block: Block 2: Other nationality
Start of Block: Block 3: Political ideology (Control variable)
This first section is interested in your political positioning, your feelings towards the European Union and your experiences in other countries before concluding with some
questions about Dutch and European politics. If you are not Dutch the questions will be about politics in your country and / or Europe.
Q3 In political matters, people talk about ‘‘the left’’ and ‘‘the right’’. The next scale ranges from 0 (left) to 10 (right).
Which number best describes your position?*
*Please, be aware that if you want to stay in number 5 you need to move the slider and put it back at 5 afterwards.
Left Right
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Political positioning ()
End of Block: Block 3: Political ideology (Control variable)
Start of Block: Block 4: European Identity (Control Variable)
Q4 In the following, I present you some statements about your feelings towards the European Union. Please, indicate to what extent you agree or disagree with them:
Strongly disagree (1) (1)
Disagree (2) (2)
Slightly disagree (3) (3)
Neither agree or disagree (4) (4)
Slightly agree (5) (5)
Agree (6) (6)
Strongly agree (7) (7)
I am proud to be an European
Union citizen. (1)
o o o o o o o
Being a citizen of
the European
Union means a lot to me.
(2)
o o o o o o o
I feel close to fellow Europeans
. (3)
o o o o o o o
End of Block: Block 4: European Identity (Control Variable)
Start of Block: Block 5: EU Cross-border practices (Control variables)
Q5 Please, answer the next questions regarding your experiences in other countries and/or with citizens from other countries:
Have you ever lived in another country for three or more consecutive months?
o
Yes (1)o
No (2)Q5a In which country have you lived for three or more consecutive months? Please list them all:
________________________________________________________________
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Q6 How many friends and/or close contacts from other countries do you have?
o
None (1)o
From 1 to 3 (2)o
More than 3 (3)Q6a From how many different countries these friends and/or close contacts are?
o
1 (1)o
2 (2)o
3 or more (3)End of Block: Block 5: EU Cross-border practices (Control variables)
Start of Block: Block 6a: Political Knowledge (Control Variable, Dutch)
Political interest
Now I would like to ask you some questions about Dutch and European politics. In this page, feel free to answer in Dutch if needed. This study is solely interested in your perceptions, so don't worry if you don't know the answers. If that would be the case, please do not look for the correct answer and advance to the next question without answering.
Q7 How interested are you in...?
No interested at all Very interested
1 2 3 4 5
Dutch Politics ()
European Union Politics ()
Q8 How often does the general election take place in the Netherlands? Please indicate the number of years.
________________________________________________________________
Q9 Who was the Dutch Minister of Finance (Minister van Financiën) in the last Rutte government? (Before the March General Election)
________________________________________________________________
Q10 Although the official headquarters of the EU are in Strasbourg (France), in which other European city are the majority of the European Parliament meetings held?
________________________________________________________________
Q11 Who is the President of the European Commision?
________________________________________________________________
End of Block: Block 6a: Political Knowledge (Control Variable, Dutch)
Start of Block: Block 6b: Political Knowledge (Control Variable, Germany)
Now I would like to ask you some questions about German and European politics. In this page, feel free to answer in German if needed. This study is solely interested in your perceptions, so don't worry if you don't know the answers. If that would be the case, please do not look for the correct answer and advance to the next question without answering.
Q7b How interested are you in...?
No interest at all Very interested
1 2 3 4 5
German Politics ()
European Union Politics ()
Q8b Approximately, how often does the Bundestag election (Bundestagswahl) take place in Germany? Please indicate the number of years.
________________________________________________________________
Q9b Although the official headquarters of the EU are in Strasbourg (France), in which other European city are the majority of the European Parliament meetings held?
________________________________________________________________
Q10b Who is the Federal Minister of Finance (Bundesministerium der Finanzen) in Germany?
________________________________________________________________
Q11b Who is the President of the European Commision?
________________________________________________________________
End of Block: Block 6b: Political Knowledge (Control Variable, Germany)
Start of Block: Block 6c: Political Knowledge (Control variable, No Dutch, No German) Now I would like to ask you some questions about European politics. This study is solely interested in your perceptions, so don't worry if you don't know the answers. If that would be the case, please do not look for the correct answer and advance to the next question without answering.
Q7c How interested are you in...?
No interest at all Very interested
1 2 3 4 5
National Politics ()
European Union Politics ()
Q9c Although the official headquarters of the EU are in Strasbourg (France), in which other European city are the majority of the European Parliament meetings held?
________________________________________________________________
Q11c Who is the President of the European Commision?
_______________________________________________________________
End of Block: Block 6c: Political Knowledge (Control variable, No Dutch, No German)
Start of Block: Block 7: Experiment introduction
In the following page, you will see a brief news article published in a Dutch newspaper on May 18th 2020. For the purpose of this study it has been translated into English. Please, take your time to read it thoroughly as you will not be able to read it again once you advance to the next section of the survey. Only after 40 seconds, the button to advance to the next page will appear.
Please, click on the button below to continue.
End of Block: Block 7: Experiment introduction
Start of Block: Block 8a: Control Group STIMULUS 1
End of Block: Block 8a: Control Group
Start of Block: Block 8b: Low competence stimulus STIMULUS 2
End of Block: Block 8b: Low competence stimulus
Start of Block: Block 8c: High warmth stimulus STIMULUS 3
End of Block: Block 8c: High warmth stimulus
Start of Block: Block 8d: Low competence / High warmth stimulus STIMULUS 4
End of Block: Block 8d: Low competence / High warmth stimulus Start of Block: Block 9: Support for EU solidarity (DV)
Once you have read the previous news article, please answer the following questions:
Q12 Please, indicate to what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements about the European Union (EU):
*If you are not Dutch consider your own nationality or country when the statements mention Dutch / The Netherlands.
Strongly disagree (1) (1)
Disagree (2) (2)
Slightly disagree (3) (3)
Neither agree or disagree (4) (4)
Slightly agree (5) (5)
Agree (6) (6)
Strongly agree (7) (7)
The solidarity
between the richer and poorer
member states should be one of the core values
of the EU.
(1)
o o o o o o o
In times of crisis, richer EU
member states should give
financial help to another EU
member states facing severe economic
and financial difficulties.
(2)
o o o o o o o
The Netherland
s should keep allocating
national funds to help EU countries
having economic difficulties.
(3)
o o o o o o o
Too much money is going from
Dutch taxpayers to other EU
countries.
(4)
o o o o o o o
Every EU country
should tackle its economic difficulties on its own.
(5)
o o o o o o o
The Netherland
s financial help to other EU
member states should be allocated to
help Dutch citizens instead. (6)
o o o o o o o
End of Block: Block 9: Support for EU solidarity (DV)
Start of Block: Block 10: Emotions (Mediators)
Q13 To what extent did you feel one or more of the following emotions towards Southern Europe citizens?
1 (Not at all) (1)
2 (2) 3 (3) 4 (4) 5 (Very
much) (5) Anger (1)
o o o o o
Sympathy (2)
o o o o o
Compassion
(3)
o o o o o
Pity (4)
o o o o o
End of Block: Block 10: Emotions (Mediators)
Start of Block: Block 11: Open question (stereotype) & manipulation check
Q14 Regardless the content of the article you read, how would you describe Southern Europe citizens (Italians, Spaniards, Greeks, Portuguese)?
Please, use from 1 to 3 words to answer:
________________________________________________________________
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Q15 To what extent the article you read described Southern Europe citizens as*:
*Please be aware that this refears to how the article described them, not about your perception
Not at all Very much
1 2 3 4 5
Lazy / incompetent ()
Friendly / welcoming ()
End of Block: Block 11: Open question (stereotype) & manipulation check
Start of Block: Block 12: Demographics
Intro Demographics Thank you! You're almost done. Before completing the questionnaire, I would like to ask you for some sociodemographic information.
Q16 What is your gender?
o
Male (1)o
Female (2)o
Non-binary / third gender (3)o
Prefer not to say (4) Q17 What is your age?________________________________________________________________
Q18 What is the highest level of education you have completed?
o
Less than a high school diploma (1)o
High school diploma or equivalent (2)o
MBO (3)o
Bachelor's degree (HBO, WO, BA, BS, BSc) (4)o
Master's degree (e.g. MA, MS, MEd) (5)o
Doctorate degree (e.g. PhD, EdD) (6)o
Other (please specify) (7)________________________________________________
End of Block: Block 12: Demographics
Start of Block: Block 13: Debriefing
Congratulations, you are done! Please, press the button on the bottom of the page before leaving in order to save your answers
Before the completion of the survey, I have some important additional information to share with you. Please read carefully before submitting your answer:
This questionnaire was part of an experiment designed to test whether the presence or absence of certain stereotypes in the media portrayal of Southern Europe citizens has an effect on the level of support for solidarity among European Union member states.
Therefore, a different version of the same news article was randomly shown to every respondent. In total, there were four different versions: one of them portrayed Southern Europe citizens as welcoming/friendly; other portrayed them as lazy/incompetent; other presented them as both welcoming/friendly and lazy/incompetent and the last one (control group) did not contain any kind of stereotypical depiction.
The news article you saw is not real and has been specifically constructed for this experiment.
Except the invented quotes attributed to “sources close to the Dutch negotiators” in the