This study asks whether symbolic transitional-justice sites — specifically a museum dedicated to past human-rights abuses — can shift citizens’ attitudes. The authors report results from a field experiment conducted at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights in Santiago, Chile, tested on university students to measure whether a museum visit affects support for democratic institutions, rejection of repressive-period institutions, and support for restorative transitional-justice policies. The abstract frames effects as present across ideological priors and notes partial persistence up to six months after the visit.
Field experiment on museum visitors Effects measured for university students Some effects persist for six months
Data and methods
The research implements a field experiment at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights in Santiago, Chile. The abstract identifies Chilean university students as the study population and frames the intervention as a museum visit with emotional content. The brief notes testing across ideological priors and mentions follow-up measurement up to six months to assess persistence.
Main findings
According to the abstract, after visiting the museum students showed greater support for democratic institutions, increased rejection of institutions associated with the repressive period, and stronger support for restorative transitional-justice policies. The authors report these shifts occurred regardless of students’ ideological priors and that some effects endured six months later. The abstract also frames emotional appeals in the museum as a plausible mechanism for attitude change.
- Treatment: in-person museum visit at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, Santiago.
- Outcomes: attitudes toward democratic institutions, support for restorative policies, rejection of repressive-era institutions.
