Angry and Alerted, Happy and Informed? An Experience Sampling Study on the Relationship Between Sentiment, Affect, and Attention Toward Campaign Communication

This study examines how emotional reactions to campaign communication relate to attentional processes and, ultimately, to general interest in a political campaign. Drawing on appraisal theories of emotion and the broaden-and-build theory, we argue that emotional responses to political communication play a central role in shaping different forms of attention and elaboration. Specifically, emotions may foster a narrow attentional focus directed at the stimulus itself or a broader attentional orientation characterized by a willingness to seek additional information. To test these assumptions, we conducted a mobile experience sampling study during the 40 days preceding the 2021 German federal election. Participants repeatedly reported the perceived sentiment of campaign communication, their emotional reactions while encountering it, and their attentional focus toward political information immediately after exposure to campaign communication. Between-person analyses indicate that both negative affect (particularly anger) and positive affect are associated with attentional processes, while happiness is specifically linked to a broadened attentional focus. At the within-person level, both negative and positive emotions predicted momentary attentional focus. Campaign interest, however, was related to (situational) attention rather than to affective processes. We conclude by discussing the role of positivity and positive affect in research on political media effects.