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Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Restricted Thesis: Campus only access
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Leadership Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Crystal Hoyt
Abstract
System justification theory argues that people are motivated to defend the status quo due to epistemic, existential, and relational needs. To reduce feelings of chaos and unpredictability, individuals may be motivated to justify the system that they live under (Van Der Toorn et al., 2015). Since Oct. 7, 2023, the U.S. federal government has sent increased amounts of foreign aid to the Israeli military in support of the war on the Gaza strip; polls have shown that some Americans are supportive of this decision. The current research explores whether system justification plays a role in support for recent U.S. foreign policy in Israel, given that the U.S. is struggling with economic disparities. The research tests the prediction that Americans with higher needs to manage uncertainty, existential anxiety, and social relations will be more likely to support these foreign policies. The findings suggest that higher levels of system justification tendencies are associated with higher levels of support for these foreign policy decisions. However, the research also finds that higher epistemic and existential needs are not associated with higher levels of support. Rather, high relational needs share the strongest association with higher levels of support, suggesting that the need to belong may play a pivotal role in the formation of American public opinion.
Recommended Citation
Ali, Amal, "The Role of System Justification in American Public Opinion on U.S. Foreign Policy in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories since Oct. 7, 2023" (2025). Honors Theses. 1796.
https://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses/1796
