Pub Date : 2018-09-21DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000213
P. Jiménez, Anita Bregenzer, M. Leiter, V. Magley
The quality of workplace social environments has been widely recognized as having an important role in employees’ experience of their workplace, which is confirmed by recent research. The greater frequency of incivility, in contrast to the more intense forms of negative workplace interactions, expands opportunities for understanding the social dynamics of workplaces. Important aspects of this research are potential cultural variations in workplace social behavior. Valid translations of measures for the core constructs are part of the essential infrastructure to support such research endeavors. To assess uncivil behavior at the workplace, we prepared a German translation of the Workplace Incivility Scale and the Instigated Workplace Incivility Scale. Our analysis of the responses from 2,168 Austrian workers indicated that the translation of both scales into German was successful, and that the concept of incivility can indeed be transferred to the German-speaking population. The factor solution was comparable to the original version of the scales. Criterion validity coefficients lay in a similar range as the coefficients found in previous studies with Canadian samples. The availability of the scales should stimulate research on incivility among the German-speaking population and can help in organization-diagnostic processes.
{"title":"Psychometric Properties of the German Version of the Workplace Incivility Scale and the Instigated Workplace Incivility Scale","authors":"P. Jiménez, Anita Bregenzer, M. Leiter, V. Magley","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000213","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000213","url":null,"abstract":"The quality of workplace social environments has been widely recognized as having an important role in employees’ experience of their workplace, which is confirmed by recent research. The greater frequency of incivility, in contrast to the more intense forms of negative workplace interactions, expands opportunities for understanding the social dynamics of workplaces. Important aspects of this research are potential cultural variations in workplace social behavior. Valid translations of measures for the core constructs are part of the essential infrastructure to support such research endeavors. To assess uncivil behavior at the workplace, we prepared a German translation of the Workplace Incivility Scale and the Instigated Workplace Incivility Scale. Our analysis of the responses from 2,168 Austrian workers indicated that the translation of both scales into German was successful, and that the concept of incivility can indeed be transferred to the German-speaking population. The factor solution was comparable to the original version of the scales. Criterion validity coefficients lay in a similar range as the coefficients found in previous studies with Canadian samples. The availability of the scales should stimulate research on incivility among the German-speaking population and can help in organization-diagnostic processes.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46346412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-09-21DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000214
B. G. Wissing, Marc-André Reinhard
This cross-sectional study (N = 325) investigated the relationship between the Dark Triad personality traits and the perception of artificial intelligence (AI) risk. Narrow AI risk perception was measured based on recently identified perceived risks in the public. Artificial general intelligence (AGI) risk perception was operationalized in terms of plausibility ratings and subjective probability estimates on deceptive AI scenarios developed by Bostrom (2014), in which AI-sided deception is described as a function of intelligence. Machiavellianism and psychopathy predicted narrow AI risk perception above the shared variance of the Dark Triad and above the Big Five. In individuals with self-reported knowledge of machine learning, the Dark Triad traits were associated with AGI risk perception. This study provides evidence for the existence of substantial individual differences in the risk perception of AI.
{"title":"Individual Differences in Risk Perception of Artificial Intelligence","authors":"B. G. Wissing, Marc-André Reinhard","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000214","url":null,"abstract":"This cross-sectional study (N = 325) investigated the relationship between the Dark Triad personality traits and the perception of artificial intelligence (AI) risk. Narrow AI risk perception was measured based on recently identified perceived risks in the public. Artificial general intelligence (AGI) risk perception was operationalized in terms of plausibility ratings and subjective probability estimates on deceptive AI scenarios developed by Bostrom (2014), in which AI-sided deception is described as a function of intelligence. Machiavellianism and psychopathy predicted narrow AI risk perception above the shared variance of the Dark Triad and above the Big Five. In individuals with self-reported knowledge of machine learning, the Dark Triad traits were associated with AGI risk perception. This study provides evidence for the existence of substantial individual differences in the risk perception of AI.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44583051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000212
Nahema El Ghaziri, J. Darwiche
We conducted a literature review to examine the effects of self-esteem in the family context, selecting 40 studies exploring the associations between self-esteem, coparental relationship, parent-child relationship, and global family functioning. The research focused primarily on self-esteem and the parent-child relationship. The evidence indicates that parents with high self-esteem experience enhanced satisfaction with their children and exhibit more positive interactions with them. It was also found that parents’ high self-esteem is associated with less physical abuse and child neglect. Studies focusing on coparenting and family functioning are still rare, and more evidence is needed to establish robust conclusions.
{"title":"Adult Self-Esteem and Family Relationships: A Literature Review","authors":"Nahema El Ghaziri, J. Darwiche","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000212","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000212","url":null,"abstract":"We conducted a literature review to examine the effects of self-esteem in the family context, selecting 40 studies exploring the associations between self-esteem, coparental relationship, parent-child relationship, and global family functioning. The research focused primarily on self-esteem and the parent-child relationship. The evidence indicates that parents with high self-esteem experience enhanced satisfaction with their children and exhibit more positive interactions with them. It was also found that parents’ high self-esteem is associated with less physical abuse and child neglect. Studies focusing on coparenting and family functioning are still rare, and more evidence is needed to establish robust conclusions.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47461665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000211
G. Delelis, V. Christophe
After experiencing an emotional event, people either seek out others’ presence (social affiliation) or avoid others’ presence (social isolation). The determinants and effects of social affiliation are now well-known, but social psychologists have not yet thoroughly studied social isolation. This study aims to ascertain which motives and corresponding regulation strategies participants report for social isolation following negative emotional events. A group of 96 participants retrieved from memory an actual negative event that led them to temporarily socially isolate themselves and freely listed up to 10 motives for social isolation. Through semantic categorization of the 423 motives reported by the participants, we found that “cognitive clarification” and “keeping one’s distance” – that is, the need for cognitive regulation and the refusal of socioaffective regulation, respectively – were the most commonly and quickly reported motives for social isolation. We discuss the findings in terms of ideas for future studies aimed at clarifying the role of social isolation in health situations.
{"title":"Motives for Social Isolation Following a Negative Emotional Episode","authors":"G. Delelis, V. Christophe","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000211","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000211","url":null,"abstract":"After experiencing an emotional event, people either seek out others’ presence (social affiliation) or avoid others’ presence (social isolation). The determinants and effects of social affiliation are now well-known, but social psychologists have not yet thoroughly studied social isolation. This study aims to ascertain which motives and corresponding regulation strategies participants report for social isolation following negative emotional events. A group of 96 participants retrieved from memory an actual negative event that led them to temporarily socially isolate themselves and freely listed up to 10 motives for social isolation. Through semantic categorization of the 423 motives reported by the participants, we found that “cognitive clarification” and “keeping one’s distance” – that is, the need for cognitive regulation and the refusal of socioaffective regulation, respectively – were the most commonly and quickly reported motives for social isolation. We discuss the findings in terms of ideas for future studies aimed at clarifying the role of social isolation in health situations.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47517083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-04-18DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000210
Joel R. Anderson, Y. Koç, J. Falomir-Pichastor
The present study reports the psychometric properties of the English version of the short form of the Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Scale (ATHS; Falomir-Pichastor & Mugny, 2009). Workers from Amazon’s MTurkTM (n = 235 for validation, n = 60 for test-retest) completed the short form of the ATHS, translated from French, and the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale (ATLG; Herek, 1998) and responded to a series of demographic questions. In this paper, we present evidence for a single-factor structure of the scale, along with evidence for the validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the measure. The data revealed distinct patterns in participants’ ATHS scores as a function of their religious affiliation and political conservatism. Finally, positive ATHS scores predicted support for gay rights over and above that predicted by ATLG scores (Herek, 1984). The evidence presented suggests that the ATHS is a psychometrically reliable and valid tool for assessing attitudes toward homosexuality.
{"title":"The English Version of the Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Scale","authors":"Joel R. Anderson, Y. Koç, J. Falomir-Pichastor","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000210","url":null,"abstract":"The present study reports the psychometric properties of the English version of the short form of the Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Scale (ATHS; Falomir-Pichastor & Mugny, 2009). Workers from Amazon’s MTurkTM (n = 235 for validation, n = 60 for test-retest) completed the short form of the ATHS, translated from French, and the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale (ATLG; Herek, 1998) and responded to a series of demographic questions. In this paper, we present evidence for a single-factor structure of the scale, along with evidence for the validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the measure. The data revealed distinct patterns in participants’ ATHS scores as a function of their religious affiliation and political conservatism. Finally, positive ATHS scores predicted support for gay rights over and above that predicted by ATLG scores (Herek, 1984). The evidence presented suggests that the ATHS is a psychometrically reliable and valid tool for assessing attitudes toward homosexuality.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45021852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-03-08DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000209
Robin Wollast, E. Puvia, P. Bernard, Passagorn Tevichapong, O. Klein
Ever since Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) proposed objectification theory, research on self-objectification and – by extension – other-objectification has experienced a considerable expansion. However, most of the studies on sexual objectification have been conducted solely in Western populations. This study investigates whether the effect of target sexualization on social perception differs as a function of culture (Western vs. Eastern). Specifically, we asked a Western sample (Belgian, N = 62) and a Southeast Asian sample (Thai, N = 98) to rate sexualized versus nonsexualized targets. We found that sexual objectification results in dehumanization in both Western (Belgium) and Eastern (Thailand) cultures. Specifically, participants from both countries attributed less competence and less agency to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets, and they reported that they would administer more intense pain to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets. Thus, building on past research, this study suggests that the effect of target sexualization on dehumanization is a more general rather than a culture-specific phenomenon.
{"title":"How Sexual Objectification Generates Dehumanization in Western and Eastern Cultures: A Comparison Between Belgium and Thailand","authors":"Robin Wollast, E. Puvia, P. Bernard, Passagorn Tevichapong, O. Klein","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000209","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000209","url":null,"abstract":"Ever since Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) proposed objectification theory, research on self-objectification and – by extension – other-objectification has experienced a considerable expansion. However, most of the studies on sexual objectification have been conducted solely in Western populations. This study investigates whether the effect of target sexualization on social perception differs as a function of culture (Western vs. Eastern). Specifically, we asked a Western sample (Belgian, N = 62) and a Southeast Asian sample (Thai, N = 98) to rate sexualized versus nonsexualized targets. We found that sexual objectification results in dehumanization in both Western (Belgium) and Eastern (Thailand) cultures. Specifically, participants from both countries attributed less competence and less agency to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets, and they reported that they would administer more intense pain to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets. Thus, building on past research, this study suggests that the effect of target sexualization on dehumanization is a more general rather than a culture-specific phenomenon.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49318734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-03-08DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000208
J. Marcionetti, L. Castelli, Alberto Crescentini, L. Avanzi, F. Fraccaroli, C. Balducci
This study creates and validates a short, Italian-language scale to measure teacher burnout. To this end, we used two scales from the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory which had already been translated into Italian in a previous study. We administered this measure to two samples of teachers (n1 = 2688 and n2 = 676) in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. The final scale consisted of 10 items that measure teacher burnout on the dimensions of work- and student-related burnout. We performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to assess the psychometric properties of the instrument as well as conducting analyses of invariance between the sexes and across school sectors. Results showed that work- and student-related burnout were significantly correlated with the constructs of perceived workload, optimism, and life satisfaction. Moreover, neither dimension of burnout was associated with sex, age, seniority, or family status, although both dimensions of burnout were significantly correlated with professional status and percentage of working hours per week. Overall, the analyses show that the final short scale is a valid instrument for measuring teacher burnout. Because of its brevity, this scale can easily be integrated into surveys conducted by public health institutions and education departments.
{"title":"Validation of a Short Scale in Italian to Measure Teacher Burnout","authors":"J. Marcionetti, L. Castelli, Alberto Crescentini, L. Avanzi, F. Fraccaroli, C. Balducci","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000208","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000208","url":null,"abstract":"This study creates and validates a short, Italian-language scale to measure teacher burnout. To this end, we used two scales from the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory which had already been translated into Italian in a previous study. We administered this measure to two samples of teachers (n1 = 2688 and n2 = 676) in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. The final scale consisted of 10 items that measure teacher burnout on the dimensions of work- and student-related burnout. We performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to assess the psychometric properties of the instrument as well as conducting analyses of invariance between the sexes and across school sectors. Results showed that work- and student-related burnout were significantly correlated with the constructs of perceived workload, optimism, and life satisfaction. Moreover, neither dimension of burnout was associated with sex, age, seniority, or family status, although both dimensions of burnout were significantly correlated with professional status and percentage of working hours per week. Overall, the analyses show that the final short scale is a valid instrument for measuring teacher burnout. Because of its brevity, this scale can easily be integrated into surveys conducted by public health institutions and education departments.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43590131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-03-08DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000206
Anja Ghetta, A. Hirschi, A. Herrmann, J. Rossier
This study conducted a representative analysis of the Swiss labor market from 1991 to 2014 by applying Holland’s (1997) classification of occupations according to six vocational interest types: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional (RIASEC). Using data from the Swiss Labor Force Survey, we found that, over this period, realistic occupations consistently represented the largest share of jobs, albeit with a declining tendency. Increased numbers of people were employed in social and enterprising types of work. The lowest numbers were found in artistic and investigative occupations. Gender segregation along the six RIASEC occupational types were found on the Swiss labor market as well, with most men working in realistic and most women working in social occupations. Furthermore, we observed large salary differences between the six occupational types, even after controlling for required skill level. In line with findings concerning gender pay inequality, men earned more than women in each RIASEC occupational type in each year. Moreover, we found that RIASEC occupations differed meaningfully with regard to skill level, and that the required skill level increased across all RIASEC occupations over the examined 23-year period.
{"title":"A Psychological Description of the Swiss Labor Market from 1991 to 2014: Occupational Interest Types, Sex, Salary, and Skill Level","authors":"Anja Ghetta, A. Hirschi, A. Herrmann, J. Rossier","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000206","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000206","url":null,"abstract":"This study conducted a representative analysis of the Swiss labor market from 1991 to 2014 by applying Holland’s (1997) classification of occupations according to six vocational interest types: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional (RIASEC). Using data from the Swiss Labor Force Survey, we found that, over this period, realistic occupations consistently represented the largest share of jobs, albeit with a declining tendency. Increased numbers of people were employed in social and enterprising types of work. The lowest numbers were found in artistic and investigative occupations. Gender segregation along the six RIASEC occupational types were found on the Swiss labor market as well, with most men working in realistic and most women working in social occupations. Furthermore, we observed large salary differences between the six occupational types, even after controlling for required skill level. In line with findings concerning gender pay inequality, men earned more than women in each RIASEC occupational type in each year. Moreover, we found that RIASEC occupations differed meaningfully with regard to skill level, and that the required skill level increased across all RIASEC occupations over the examined 23-year period.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47950291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-03-01DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000207
J. Inauen, T. Radtke, L. Rennie, U. Scholz, S. Orbell
This study tested the effects of exercise on eating behavior. The transfer hypothesis proposes that exercise leads to a generalization of healthy behavior and therefore an improved diet. The compensation hypothesis assumes that exercise leads to increased caloric intake in order to “compensate” for the energy expenditure. We tested these hypotheses for actual as well as imagined exercise. Female university employees or students (N = 227) were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: actual exercise vs. imagined exercise vs. control. After baseline data had been obtained, the participants engaged in a 5-minute experimental task and were then left alone with unhealthy snacks. Participants who had imagined themselves exercising (M = 101 kcal, SD = 128 kcal) consumed significantly fewer calories than did controls (M = 129 kcal, SD = 142 kcal), consistent with a transfer effect. Participants who had engaged in actual exercise, but had been distracted from thinking about exercise, consumed quantities (M = 127 kcal, SD = 111 kcal) similar to those consumed by controls. This study suggests that transfer effects are underpinned by psychological processes, such as goal activation, which should be investigated in the future.
{"title":"Transfer or Compensation?: An Experiment Testing the Effects of Actual and Imagined Exercise on Eating Behavior","authors":"J. Inauen, T. Radtke, L. Rennie, U. Scholz, S. Orbell","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000207","url":null,"abstract":"This study tested the effects of exercise on eating behavior. The transfer hypothesis proposes that exercise leads to a generalization of healthy behavior and therefore an improved diet. The compensation hypothesis assumes that exercise leads to increased caloric intake in order to “compensate” for the energy expenditure. We tested these hypotheses for actual as well as imagined exercise. Female university employees or students (N = 227) were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: actual exercise vs. imagined exercise vs. control. After baseline data had been obtained, the participants engaged in a 5-minute experimental task and were then left alone with unhealthy snacks. Participants who had imagined themselves exercising (M = 101 kcal, SD = 128 kcal) consumed significantly fewer calories than did controls (M = 129 kcal, SD = 142 kcal), consistent with a transfer effect. Participants who had engaged in actual exercise, but had been distracted from thinking about exercise, consumed quantities (M = 127 kcal, SD = 111 kcal) similar to those consumed by controls. This study suggests that transfer effects are underpinned by psychological processes, such as goal activation, which should be investigated in the future.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46798438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-01-01DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000203
Pascal Wagner-Egger, P. Gygax
In this research, we investigated the social influence of newspaper headlines on beliefs on various social, political, and economic issues, including belief in conspiracy theories. Building on the seminal study by Gruenfeld and Wyer (1992), we examined how denials and affirmations printed in a credible source (e.g., a newspaper considered to be serious) versus a less credible source (e.g., a free newspaper) affected readers’ beliefs. In this computer-based study, participants were asked to rate the plausibility of 24 newspaper statements (eight of which were related to conspiracy theories), first without any mention of a newspaper and then with the newspapers mentioned as sources. The results showed the general effects associated with the degree of informativeness of the statements. We discuss these effects in terms of the boomerang effect (i.e., opinion change in the direction opposite to that of the opinion given in the headline). We also found that the participants judged the official versions of various events to be more plausible than the conspiracy theory versions of the same events.
{"title":"Diana Was Not Involved in the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks!: Or Was She? Newspaper Headlines and the Boomerang Effect","authors":"Pascal Wagner-Egger, P. Gygax","doi":"10.1024/1421-0185/a000203","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000203","url":null,"abstract":"In this research, we investigated the social influence of newspaper headlines on beliefs on various social, political, and economic issues, including belief in conspiracy theories. Building on the seminal study by Gruenfeld and Wyer (1992), we examined how denials and affirmations printed in a credible source (e.g., a newspaper considered to be serious) versus a less credible source (e.g., a free newspaper) affected readers’ beliefs. In this computer-based study, participants were asked to rate the plausibility of 24 newspaper statements (eight of which were related to conspiracy theories), first without any mention of a newspaper and then with the newspapers mentioned as sources. The results showed the general effects associated with the degree of informativeness of the statements. We discuss these effects in terms of the boomerang effect (i.e., opinion change in the direction opposite to that of the opinion given in the headline). We also found that the participants judged the official versions of various events to be more plausible than the conspiracy theory versions of the same events.","PeriodicalId":46193,"journal":{"name":"Swiss Journal of Psychology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"57225800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}