Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology最新文献

Intergroup contact interventions have been mostly used to foster empathy, promote positive relations, and reduce prejudice and discrimination. However, less is known about the potential of intergroup contact, especially digital, in interventions designed to hinder hate speech and promote counter-speech. Counter-speech can be defined as a direct response to hate speech, aimed at refuting or undermining it. This study argues that the quality of intergroup contact may foster counter-speech responses through empathy for hate speech victims. For this purpose, an ad hoc conversational storytelling web-app module, named “Let's Make the Difference!”, was developed and administered to a sample of 433 Italian adolescents (278 in the experimental group and 155 in the control group, M_age = 14.33). Through the web-app, adolescents engaged in a chat with an outgroup avatar, inducing digital intergroup contact. Results show a significant increase in counter-speech intentions between the pre-test and post-test in the experimental condition, unlike in the control group. Moreover, in line with our hypotheses, the quality of contact induced with the conversational agent increased empathy toward the victim, which in turn increased the intention to counter hate speech in the intervention group. In light of these results on digital contact, both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Mancini, T., Imperato, C. (2024). Exploring Intercultural Sensitivity in Bicultural and Multicultural Reddit Users: The Role of Both Identity (Or Individual) and Contextual (Or Social) Factors. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 34(3), e2809. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2809.

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The increase in migration and cultural diversity across various Western regions has highlighted the need to promote harmonious coexistence between those who migrate from other countries and the native populations. Promoting social harmony is the primary objective in both acculturation and intergroup contact research. Particularly relevant to this aim is the secondary transfer effect (STE), consisting in the spreading of the effects of contact with a primary outgroup to attitudes towards secondary outgroups uninvolved in the contact setting. This study aims to explore the STE of positive contact with African migrants (as the primary outgroup) on the acculturation behaviours of natives, and specifically, how these behaviours affect natives' prointegration actions towards refugees (as the secondary outgroup). To achieve this objective, we also investigated two potential underlying processes: natives' perceived moral distance, linked to the STE and contact literature, and natives' multicultural ideology, associated with natives' acculturation preferences. We hypothesised that positive interactions of Italian adults (N = 280) with African migrants would be associated with natives' prorefugee behaviours through natives' perceived moral distance towards African migrants and their multicultural ideology. Logistic SEM analysis revealed indirect effects through the two hypothesised mediators, emphasising their role in driving natives' prorefugee behaviours.

Women's underrepresentation in philosophy requires a comprehensive investigation of the factors that contribute to it. This paper examines the presence of gender stereotypes regarding philosophers and the consequences of a perceived misfit in three studies. A pre-study (N = 49) confirmed that students tend to think about males when asked to name philosophers. Study 1 (N = 530) used an online experiment with a general sample and found that philosophers are perceived as more male than female. Results demonstrated a perceived gender-philosopher-misfit regarding communal but not agentic attributes. Study 2 (N = 178) confirmed the prevalence of the male philosopher stereotype in philosophy students. Building on the Lack-of-Fit Model, we hypothesized and found that female students showed a higher perceived self-philosopher-misfit than male students on the communion dimension, but unexpectedly not on the agency dimension. Using a structural equation model, we showed that this perceived gender-related communal misfit was associated with their lowered intention to persist and increased intention to quit their philosophy studies. The results replicate prior findings on gender stereotype misfits and highlight the special role of the communal dimension in shaping career decisions. Please refer to the Supporting Information section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Across the world, governments are struggling to help people recover from substance use problems. Due to their particular risk factors, two age groups are of special interest to public health: emerging adults and older adults. Psychological sense of community (PSOC) is a key dimension in their recovery. Yet, to develop context-sensitive and effective strategies tailored for these groups, there is a need to understand their discourses of PSOC as situated within their context. This study offers a multi-level and comparative analysis of discourses of PSOC for 21 emerging adults and 23 older adults recovering within the same context. Using a discourse analytic tool and a comparative approach ideological impacts on the two groups' discourses of PSOC were identified. Both groups' discourses suggest that achieving and maintaining PSOC in recovery is challenging within a developing neo-liberal context. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate differences between the two groups' with respect to (a) the particular impact of ideologies, (b) sources for PSOC in recovery and (c) challenges in community participation. The article builds on the findings to suggest strategies targeting the two groups. Please refer to the Supporting Information section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Migrant families of children with special health and welfare needs such as mental, developmental, and physical disabilities face significant barriers to health and welfare services. This could result in social inequalities and exclusion. The aim of this article was to explore the role and relevance of voluntary sector in promoting health and social inclusion of migrant families of children with special health and welfare needs in Norway. The study is based on a qualitative participatory research design using co-production and interdisciplinary research methodologies. A total of 15 voluntary sector employees participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews. We found three major themes to summarise the role of voluntary sector: 1) Providing arenas for social inclusion and belonging; 2) Facilitating access to public health and welfare services; and 3) Provision of complementary health and welfare services. Results indicate that voluntary services use more informal community centered caring approaches and are supplementary to public health and welfare services. An exploration of more opportunities for participation of migrant families of children with special health and welfare needs in the development of services and collaboration between voluntary services and public welfare providers may foster inclusion and could be of relevance to future welfare research and practice. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Limited access to social services often hinders women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) from seeking support. This mixed-methods (survey- and interview-based) study investigated the impact of a no-cost, one-month, self-directed self-compassion intervention on women experiencing IPV compared with women in non-violent relationships. Among the 28 participants (n = 15 non-IPV, n = 13 IPV), significant improvements were noted in total self-compassion scores (F(2,52) = 6.126, p = 0.004, η²_p = 0.18), and specific domains such as self-kindness (F(2,52) = 6.552, p = 0.003, η²_p = 0.20) and over-identification (F(2,52) = 4.251, p = 0.020, η²_p = 0.14) over time. Interview findings indicated that women perceived meaningful improvements in their mental health and resilience because of the intervention, with some women in violent relationships reporting that the intervention facilitated leaving the relationship. This intervention demonstrates strong potential as an accessible, effective health promotion intervention for women in violent relationships.

Sexting is the exchange of sexually suggestive content through technological means. Despite being tasked with addressing such incidents in schools, teachers are underrepresented in sexting research. The present study explores teachers' discursive constructions of sexting, consent and gender using Critical Discursive Psychology, analysing 30 interviews with educators and safeguarding staff. The first key finding uncovers the interpretative repertoire of ‘Sexting as a threat’. This repertoire showcases the gendered positions teachers assign adolescents to, positioning ‘Boys as oppressors; girls as victims of sexting’, with girls being simultaneously constructed as sexting to attract boys' attention through the ‘Girls as the validation-seeking Other’ position. Regarding consent, we explicate three repertoires: ‘Consent as an oxymoron in relation to non-consensual distribution’, ‘Consent as illegal’ and ‘Coercion as a power imbalance’. We contextualise and discuss these findings within the socio-political discursive terrain. We highlight their ideological implications and the need to initiate emancipatory positions and discussions regarding inclusive sexting education. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.