Negative emotions are linked to higher trust in political statements

June 9, 2026 - 23:25

A new study suggests that fleeting negative emotions can make people more likely to trust political statements, regardless of whether those statements are true or false. Researchers came to this conclusion by monitoring participants' facial expressions and heart rates in real time as they evaluated political claims.

The study found that momentary emotional reactions often line up with a person's political ideology. When someone experienced a spike in negative emotion, such as anger or disgust, they were more likely to rate a statement as trustworthy if it matched their political leanings. This effect held even when the statement was factually incorrect. In other words, the emotional response seemed to override objective truth for many participants.

The researchers used sensors to track subtle changes in facial muscles and heart rhythm, which are hard to control consciously. This allowed them to capture emotional shifts that people might not even notice themselves. The findings suggest that political trust is not just a rational calculation but is heavily influenced by gut-level feelings in the moment.

This work adds to a growing body of research on how emotions shape political beliefs. It implies that simply presenting facts may not be enough to change someone's mind if their emotional state is pushing them toward a particular conclusion. The authors argue that understanding this link between emotion and trust could be key to improving political discourse.