Emotional Reactions of Russians to Sanctions Pressure

PII

S3034588X26010043-1

DOI

10.7868/S3034588X26010043

Publication Type

Article

Status

Published

Authors

A.L. Zhuravlev

Occupation: Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor, Scientific Adviser of the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Affiliation: Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences

D.A. Kitova

Occupation: ScD (Psychology), Professor, Chief Researcher of the Laboratory of the History of Psychology and Historical Psychology Affiliation: Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Volume/ Edition

Volume 47 / Issue number 1

Pages

36-44

Abstract

This paper presents a brief description of the functional characteristics of international sanctions and a detailed analysis of their psychological effects. The analysis is based on the results of scientific research — surveys, analytical reports and open official sources, including online resources, in particular international ones (The Lancet, Journal of Peace Research, European Journal of Social Psychology, UN and World Bank reports, as well as sociological research data). The analysis leads to a number of conclusions indicating that international sanctions, despite their political goals, have profound and often unintended psychological consequences. Sanctions can trigger varying degrees of stress, anxiety, and depression; create cognitive isolation and cause cognitive dissonance; and lead to psychological trauma, especially among young people. Moreover, sanctions often have the opposite effect — instead of exerting pressure on government structures, they strengthen the legitimacy of power and foster a sense of national unity. Empirical studies have revealed that sanctions are perceived by Russians as aggression against the state, evoking negative emotions and feelings — stress, anxiety, depression — and that the primary response is rejection, ranging from indifference to protest.

Keywords

санкции психологическая травма когнитивный диссонанс национальная идентичность стресс гибридная война эмоциональная валентность постситуационные эффекты

Date of publication

06.06.2026

Date of Year of publication

2026

Number of purchasers

Views

References

Reference

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