Scientists Explain How Emotions Shape Attitudes Toward Digital Governance
Today, interactions between citizens and government increasingly take place through digital governance platforms, including digital public services, AI-powered systems, and algorithmic decision-making tools. Until now, however, these technologies have largely been viewed as technical instruments, with their effectiveness assessed primarily in terms of efficiency and user-friendliness. The authors of a new study propose a broader perspective, arguing that digital governance should also be understood as an emotional experience that directly shapes citizens' trust in public institutions.
Researchers from HSE University and the University of Haifa have developed a theory of emotional digital governance. The theory explains the emotional responses individuals experience when interacting with digital systems and examines how these emotions influence citizens' willingness to use digital government services, their evaluation of government performance, and their trust in algorithmic decision-making systems.
The researchers note that the transition from face-to-face interactions with public officials to interactions with algorithms is transforming the very nature of the relationship between citizens and government. Whereas trust was previously built through human contact, citizens are now increasingly evaluating digital systems based on their usability, transparency, and perceived fairness.
The paper shows that opaque algorithms and automated systems can provoke anxiety, frustration, and a sense of loss of control, even when they operate efficiently. By contrast, transparent and user-friendly digital services foster greater engagement and trust. This effect is particularly evident in areas where algorithmic decisions have a direct impact on people's lives, such as the allocation of social benefits, healthcare services, and tax administration.
The authors paid particular attention to cultural differences. The study shows that emotional responses to digital governance vary across societies. For example, in countries where people are less comfortable with uncertainty, such as Japan, France, South Korea, and Greece, distrust of algorithms tends to be higher, while in societies that place a strong emphasis on equality and openness, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, and Singapore, citizens are more likely to expect transparency in digital decision-making and opportunities to influence these processes.
Evgeny Styrin
'Digital governance is not only about technology and efficiency but also about citizens’ emotions. People do not perceive algorithms as neutral machines; instead, they view them through the lens of trust, fear, convenience, and fairness. If governments ignore the emotional dimension of digitalisation, they risk undermining trust even in well-functioning systems,' summarises one of the study authors, Evgeny Styrin, Head of the International Laboratory for Digital Transformation in Public Administration at the HSE Institute for Public Administration and Governance.
According to Evgeny Styrin, governments worldwide are actively introducing AI solutions and automated platforms, but the emotional consequences of these changes are rarely taken into account. Meanwhile, these emotional factors can play a decisive role in whether citizens use digital services and trust the decisions made by algorithms.
The researchers believe that their study can contribute to the development of more accessible and human-centred digital services, featuring transparent logic, effective feedback mechanisms, and greater attention to user experience.
The study was conducted as part of Joint Project 2025–27 at the Centre of Excellence FI-2025-50, ‘Citizens–Government Interactions in the Context of Digital Transformation: Political, Psychological, and Administrative Factors and Barriers.’
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