Policy Value Orientation in the Language Used by Political Leaders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Semantic Network Analysis of Statements

Abstract

The worldwide crisis and disruptions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted national leaders' critical role in crisis management to ensure sustainable development and national prosperity. This study analyzed the language used by political leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic to examine their decision-making and policy value orientations. Semantic networks were employed to analyze the original text of speeches from official government sites using R and Node Excel programs. We found that progressive leaders focused on responding more dynamically and actively to engage people, while centrist leaders focused on conveying facts using rational words with more composed judgments. The analysis also showed that conservative leaders used words to observe and judge situations rather than to actively respond to changing circumstances. Our results indicate that leaders' political orientation affects their countries' crisis management, and these findings provide a basis for future analyses of relationships between leaders and crisis management.