Psychology of Personal Political Engagement in Russia: Unpacking Perceived Community Culture, Pluralistic Ignorance, and System Justification.

This study investigates how Russian citizens' political engagement relates to their personal system justification beliefs, their perceptions of others' system justification beliefs, and their perceived community culture. System justification theory refers to individuals' motivation to defend and rationalize the existing social and political system. The findings reveal that lower personal system justification is associated with higher political engagement, but this relationship is largely explained by pluralistic ignorance—where individuals mistakenly believe others support the system more strongly than they do. This effect is particularly pronounced among those who perceive their communities as vertically collectivist, emphasizing hierarchy and group conformity. The study highlights the significant role of social influence and cultural context in shaping political behavior in Russia, suggesting that misperceptions about others' beliefs may suppress political participation more than personal convictions.