Commissioned questionnaires

Research project: MEDical decision-making in MIGrant populations within a super-diverse society

Abstract: Family involvement (FI) in medical decision-making (MDM) is increasingly recognized as a crucial dimension of patient-centered care; however, patient preferences for FI vary across different contexts. In Belgium, where healthcare emphasizes autonomy and direct physician–patient communication, little is known about how socio-demographic and cultural characteristics shape FI preferences. Methods: We analyzed data from a nationally representative online probability panel (The Social Study, N = 1174) collected in 2024. Using a vignette-based experimental design, respondents evaluated hypothetical scenarios describing cancer, minor depression, and major depression. Preferences for FI were measured with an adapted Likert scale and dichotomized. Logistic regression models assessed associations between FI preferences and socio-demographic, socioeconomic, and religious factors. Results: Fewer than one-third of respondents preferred FI overall. Preferences varied significantly by disease type and severity: FI was lowest in cancer (22.5%), highest in major depression (29.0%), and intermediate in minor depression (19.0%). Migration background strongly predicted FI preferences, with EU- and non-EU-born respondents showing significantly higher odds than Belgian-born individuals, particularly for cancer and minor depression. Living with a partner increased the likelihood of preferring FI, while higher education was associated with stronger preferences for autonomy in cancer. Religious affiliation, especially Christianity, was linked to greater FI preference in cancer and major depression. No consistent associations were observed for gender, age, employment status, or financial difficulties. Conclusions: The preferences of Belgian adults for FI in MDM are influenced by disease type, severity, and social context. Migration background, household composition, education, and religion emerged as key predictors. These findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive, flexible MDM models that move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches and integrate patients’ social realities into clinical practice.

Commissioners: Veerle Buffel (VUB) and Edwin Wouters (UAntwerpen)

Funding: IMPULS grant from the Antwerp University Research Fund (BOF) 

Fieldwork: September 2024

Sample: Entire panel

Research project: What are the policy design conditions required to gather majority support for a maximum income? An experimental vignette study

Abstract: Can an innovative policy idea such as a maximum income become a real alternative to build socially just postgrowth futures? Reducing economic inequality in post-growth societies is highly challenging and may require policies that embed new imaginaries, in which the possibility of unlimited wealth accumulation is reconsidered. In post-growth research, a maximum income seems particularly appropriate because this measure combines the opportunity of limiting inequality with the creation of an ‘ecological ceiling’ to prevent the considerable environmental impacts of the richest people. Despite recurrent mentions among postgrowth scholars, it is striking that very little research has been conducted on the subject. The few existing studies further suggest that public support for maximum income is low – no higher than 25% of the population in surveys conducted in Sweden and the Netherlands. This represents a major obstacle to its implementation and, by extension, to the advancement of post-growth futures. This research seeks therefore to investigate under what policy design conditions it is possible to build majority support among the population for policies implementing a maximum income.
The research is based on an experimental vignette survey conducted in Belgium in September 2024 within a representative sample of the national population (N = 1262). Vignettes were used to present respondents with detailed policy proposals, while the experimental component allowed for an exploration of how different dimensions of these proposals – such as the level of the income cap – affect public support. The findings reveal that the maximum income policies are far more supported than previously estimated, with 49% of respondents expressing approval. Furthermore, the study highlights that the level of the income cap and the corresponding tax rate are critical factors in enhancing public support. A relative majority of 65% emerges when the income cap is set at 1 million euros, accompanied by a tax rate of 90% and specifications on how the funds generated by the tax will be used for.

Commissioners: Martin François (ULiège and Ichec Management School Brussels), Fanny Dethier (Ichec Management School Brussels) and Kevin Maréchal (Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech and ULiège)

Funding: Etopia and Fonds Terro 

Fieldwork: September 2024

Sample: Entire panel

Research project: Post-Truth Politics and Political Parties: to what extent and why do political parties use conspiracy discourse on social media?

Abstract: Since the mid-2010s, concern over misinformation has been growing. Brexit and the 2016 US presidential election have highlighted the potential impact of manipulative messages on political decisions. These events are key milestones signalling the beginning of a new era, one of post-truth. It is characterized by a systemic shift towards a political culture in which accuracy and factual veracity in public debates are less important than other concerns and the line between facts and opinions is increasingly blurred. This presents contemporary democracies with a major challenge. Democracy is not only a set of formal rights, procedures, and institutions; it also requires enlightened understanding. But if facts are downgraded as mere opinions and political actors cannot agree on whether a fact is a fact, how can the democratic process unfold?

This project aims at understanding post-truth politics and its implications for democratic societies by looking at one central actor: political parties, which play a vital role as opinion shapers. Therefore, this project seeks to determine to what extent, and why political parties in Europe contribute to post-truth politics. It will focus on one facet of this phenomenon: conspiracy discourse. It is structured around 3 steps: first, relying on a combination of inductive and deductive approach, it will examine how often parties use conspiracy discourse and the type of discourse. Then the second step seeks to understand why there is a variation among parties, with a hypothesis regarding the degree of populism and one on the relation between extremism and the use of conspiracy discourse. The last one focuses on the interactions between parties and citizens to understand the consequences for democracy. The project will compare 4 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Romania and Spain) and will use mixed method (Twitter data, quantitative analysis, citizens surveys and interviews with political elites).

Commissioners: Nathalie Brack and Kostas Papaioannou (ULB)

Funding: Mandat d’impulsion scientifique (MIS) – FNRS 

Fieldwork: September 2024

Sample: Entire panel

Research project: Belgian Local Elections StudieS (BLESS 2024)

Abstract: At the 2024 local elections, electoral turnout in Flanders decreased to an unprecedented rate of 63.6 percent (i.e. minus almost 30 points in comparison to previous 2024 national elections as well as to the former 2018 Flemish local elections). This is due to an electoral reform abolishing compulsory voting used since 1893. The BLESS 2024 project seeks to better understand the profiles of citizens who decided to turnout out and to abstain. In collaboration with TSS, we conducted a two waves electoral survey, allowing us to analyse a representative sample of Belgian citizens (N= 2.619, Flanders, N= 1.612 and Wallonia-Brussels, N = 1.007). Overall, our empirical results strongly confirm a “normalization thesis” in Flanders as the voters who abstain are more likely to display the usual profile of abstentionists observed in other Western democracies. Yet, our results complementary suggest that the “political culture of civic duty” remains meaningful with a clear generational divide between first-time voters or least experienced voters who are much more likely to abstain.

Commissioners: Jérémy Dodeigne (UNamur), Tony Valcke (UGent), Tom Verhelst (UGent), Kristof Steyvers (UGent), Jean-Benoit Pilet (ULB), David Talukder (UNamur), Laura Uyttendaele (UNamur & UClouvain), Sébastien Fontaine (ULiege), Caroline Close (ULB) and Min Reuchamps (UCLouvain)

Funding: F.R.S.-FNRS ; Région wallonne ; Vlaams Agentschap Binnenlands Bestuur (ABB)

Fieldwork: October 2024 and January 2025

Sample: Entire panel

Research project: Public Preferences and Trade-Offs in Pension Policy: Evidence from Belgium

Abstract: This project explores how individuals form preferences over pension policy, combining insights from behavioral economics, public finance, and welfare economics research. Using original survey and experimental data from Belgium, we examine both the public’s willingness to pay for future pension entitlements and the underlying motivations that shape attitudes toward pension system design. One component of the project employs a discrete choice experiment to assess how workers value trade-offs between current income and future pension benefits. A second component investigates the role of self-interest and social values in shaping support for redistribution and specific design features of the public pension system. Together, the results offer insights into the political feasibility of pension reform and the conditions for building durable public support.

Commissioners: Sunčica Vujić (UA), Nick Deschacht (KU Leuven), Inés Guillemyn (UA) and Ernesto Anguita Roldán (UA)

Funding: FWO (project and fellowship)

Fieldwork: December 2024

Sample: French-speaking panelists in Wallonia and Brussels

Research project: Patients’ perceptions of the accessibility of general practitioners

Abstract: A nuanced understanding of healthcare accessibility is crucial for supporting care professionals, universities, and policymakers in building a sustainable healthcare offer in Wallonia. Although often reduced to financial affordability or physician density, accessibility is a complex and subjective concept shaped by multiple factors, as highlighted by Penchansky and Thomas’s patient‑centred model of fit between services and expectations and Frenk’s view of access as overcoming obstacles within the care pathway. While public reports frequently emphasize financial barriers, the widespread use of the third‑party payment system suggests that cost may not be the primary challenge in Belgian primary care, a hypothesis that this study seeks to examine. This quantitative exploratory phase aims to determine whether patients experience difficulties accessing general practitioners, identify the types and geographic variations of these barriers, and assess the influence of key factors such as distance and travel time. The findings will guide the refinement of the research problem, analytical framework, and sampling strategy for the subsequent qualitative phase.

Commissioners: Amélie Pierre and Dominique Henrion (UNamur; Observatoire Universitaire en médecine rurale (OUMRu))

Funding: /

Fieldwork: December 2024

Sample: French-speaking panelists in Wallonia

Research project: (Mis)perceptions of Belgians’ beliefs regarding pro-environmental behaviors and policies

Abstract: Social psychology research shows that people often misinterpret others’ attitudes and beliefs. This misperception can take the form of pluralistic ignorance (incorrectly thinking that others’ attitudes diverge from their own, thus underestimating the consensus) or false consensus (incorrectly thinking that other’s attitudes align with their own, thus overestimating the consensus) . This is concerning as people ‘s behavior is heavily influenced by their perceptions of others. Specifically, studies in Australia and the U.S. have shown that people tend to overestimate the prevalence of climate denial while underestimating the support for climate mitigation policies.Despite the societal significance of these phenomena, few studies have examined perceptions of others’ beliefs, concerns and policy preferences regarding environmental issues, and data in Belgium is lacking. This study seeks to examine the environmental values, attitudes, and policy preferences of French-speaking Belgians, comparing their perceptions with their actual views.

Commissioners: Pascaline Van Oost and Vincent Yzerbyt (UCLouvain)

Funding: FNRS – WELCHANGE T.C028.24 for the project “Favoriser les comportements pro-environnementaux : stratégies psychosociales pour élargir et renforcer l’engagement en faveur de la lutte contre le changement climatique”

Fieldwork: December 2024

Sample: French-speaking panelists in Wallonia and Brussels

Research project: Influence of national identity on affective polarization in Belgium

Abstract: This study investigates whether national identity salience can reduce both partisan and regional affective polarisation in Belgium. These forms of polarisation, which reflect emotional distancing between political (i.e., partisan) or regional groups, can undermine democratic cohesion and increase intergroup conflict. Drawing on Levendusky’s (2018) framework, we assess whether national identity salience, through positive or negative emotional stimulation, reduces polarisation levels. More specifically, using data from a representative Belgian sample (Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels) provided by The Social Study, we examine how exposure to national stimuli—specifically, videos highlighting Belgian athletic achievements or external criticisms of Belgium—affects both partisan and regional affective polarisation. We also explore moderating factors, such as voters’ partisan proximity and participants’ duration of residence in a region. By addressing both emotional mechanisms and contextual moderators, this study aims to inform strategies for mitigating polarisation.

Commissioners: Emma Collet (ULB), Alberto Stefanelli (Yale University), Pauline Grippa (ULB) and Emilie van Haute (ULB)

Funding: EOS Grant (EOS 4000 74 94)

Fieldwork: December 2024

Sample: Entire panel

Research project: rEUsilience: Risks, Resources and Inequalities: Increasing Resilience in European Families

Abstract: rEUsilience is an international project that intends to open up the ‘black box’ of family-related decision-making to understand how family members make difficult choices between their work and family responsibilities. The questionnaire is largely based on the findings of focus groups conducted within the project in six European countries (Belgium, UK, Sweden, Spain, Poland and Croatia). It aims to get greater insights into the complexities of the relationship between care responsibilities, work opportunities, welfare state and poverty risk.

Commissioners: Wim Van Lancker and Alzbeta Bartova (KULeuven)

Funding: European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No Project 101060410 and Innovate UK, the UK’s Innovation Agency

Fieldwork: January 2025

Sample: Entire panel

Research project: Green transition attitudes: Risk perceptions and public policy opinions in the transition to carbon neutrality

Abstract: Providing sustainable welfare – i.e. balancing human needs and environmental limits – adds to existing pressure on welfare states. In this context, new social conflicts and cleavages may develop. This research seeks to create knowledge about how the public perceives social risks related to climate change and climate policies. It also wants to help understand three more aspects, namely a) what people consider a just transition to carbon neutrality, b) which social-ecological policies they support, and c) what makes them perceive different beneficiaries of public support addressing various social-ecological risks as more or less deserving. The ultimate aim is to know what makes specific climate policies more acceptable and effective.

Commissioners: Adeline Otto (KULeuven)

Funding: FWO (grant number 1256321N)

Fieldwork: January 2025

Sample: Random share of the entire panel

Research project: Understanding and Addressing Political Violence against Politicians

Abstract: Established democracies are increasingly characterized by high levels of affective polarization, with strong in-group identities, forming along partisan or sociodemographic lines, and growing out-group hostility. In some cases, this has escalated into real acts of political violence. For instance, in the past 15 years, there have been (attempted) assassinations of prominent politicians in countries like the United States, Brazil, South Korea, as well as in European countries, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands. Beyond such extremes, politicians worldwide frequently face harassment from politically opposed citizens, both in person and online. Social media harassment, in particular, has been cited as a significant factor deterring marginalized sociodemographic groups, especially women, from pursuing political careers (Eady and Rasmussen 2024; Krook 2020). This project aims to assess levels of political violence against out-group politicians, identify the conditions under which such violence becomes normalized, and test strategies to mitigate this issue.

Commissioners: Damien Bol (Sciences Po Paris), Diane Bolet (U of Essex) and Bjarn Eck (ULB)

Funding: /

Fieldwork: April 2025

Sample: French-speaking panelists in Wallonia and Brussels

Research project: Is it really climate change? Analyzing climate perceptions and backlash in Belgium

Abstract: In a context of rising climate backlash, climate scepticism and increasing environmental inequalities, this project aims to understand the evolution of the perceptions, emotions and attitudes of Belgian citizens towards climate change. In particular, it will concentrate on four axes of research: 1) the resistance against climate policies and the normative expectations towards different levels of governance/types of (un)democratic system, 2) the perception of socio-environmental inequalities and related responsibilities, as well as the willingness to change/renounce, 3) the trust in different levels of public and scientific authority, 4) the emotions related to climate change and the experience of climate-extreme events. The project aims to empirically document rising forms of climate-denial and climate-backlash, while at the same time furthering our understanding of environmental and climate inequalities. The project also aims to provide a contemporary picture of citizens’ representations of climate change, the emotions people feel in relation to climate change and their expectations in terms of climate politics and governance. In a context of multiple resistances against climate and environmental policies and of deepening of socio-environmental inequalities, this project is relevant at the empirical level, but also at the conceptual and theoretical level to renew existing environmental political theories.

Commissioners: Louise Knops and Tom Bauler (ULB)

Funding: /

Fieldwork: April 2025

Sample: French-speaking panelists in Wallonia and Brussels