Social Psychology

Targeted Socialization

by Dean Call

Cheliotis, L. K. and S. Xenakis (2011) ‘Crime, Fear of Crime and Punitiveness’, in L. K. Cheliotis and S. Xenakis (eds) Crime and Punishment in Contemporary Greece: International Comparative Perspectives, pp. 1-43. Bern: Peter Lang AG. (With a response by Jonathan Jackson, Monica Gerber and Carolyn Côté-Lussier, pp. 45-64).

by Leonidas Cheliotis

Over the last the three decades, punitiveness on the part of the state in Greece in the field of law and order has... more Over the last the three decades, punitiveness on the part of the state in Greece in the field of law and order has been on the ascent. The most obvious indicator of this has been the steeply rising use of imprisonment. A striking accompaniment of state punitiveness has been punitive public opinion. As soon as one broaches the question of why this is the case, however, one is confronted with at least two puzzling findings. First, the prevalence of crime has only risen modestly, in sharp disproportion to the high recorded levels of fear of criminal victimisation, of distrust in the police and judicial authorities, and of public punitiveness. And second, fear of criminal victimisation itself does not axiomatically bear a positive correlation with expressed public support for state punitiveness, though it does predict lack of confidence in criminal justice authorities. This chapter sets out to review these contradictions and the limits of available explanations. We begin by outlining the different ways in which Greece’s authoritarian past and the dictatorship of 1967-1974 in particular are thought to have influenced state and public punitiveness in the years that have followed. The next section summarises scholarly and commercial research on the levels and patterns of fear of crime and public punitiveness in contemporary Greece, as both distinct and interrelated themes. Attention is then drawn to the disconnect between crime and imprisonment rates as an illustrative example of the irrational foundations of state punitiveness and its degree of public support; a disconnect that is all the more prominent when examined with reference to the nationality of prisoners. Taking inspiration from political economies of punishment in jurisdictions elsewhere, the remainder of the chapter points to state deployment of a law-and-order discourse and the use of punishment as symbolic devices by which social insecurities, generated in large part by the state itself, are displaced and discharged onto suitably weak subsections of the population.

Exchange Network Transitions: Uncertainty, Risk and Shifts in Mode of Exchange

by Coye Cheshire

“Out of My League”: A Real-World Test of the Matching Hypothesis

by Coye Cheshire

Who'We'are and How We Perceive'Others': Influence of History Textbooks During the Construction Process of'Self'and the 'Other'in Cyprus

by Tutku Akter

Self-Enhancement Following Exposure to Idealized Body Portrayals in Ethnically Diverse Men: A Fantasy Effect of Advertising

by Małgorzata Kolling (Skorek)

Skorek, M., & Dunham, Y. (2012). Self-enhancement following exposure to idealized body portrayals in ethnically diverse men: A fantasy effect of advertising. Sex Roles (online first). doi: 10.1007/s11199-012-0124-8

Viewing idealized body portrayals of men and women in advertising is known to have negative effects on men’s... more Viewing idealized body portrayals of men and women in advertising is known to have negative effects on men’s self-esteem and body dissatisfaction, but little research investigates these effects across race/ethnicity. Racial minorities tend to idealize larger bodies than Whites and so might respond differently to advertising influences. We investigated whether exposure to idealized portrayals of male and female bodies in TV advertisements has different effects on men of different race/ethnicity. Additionally, we investigated whether implicit methods reveal different results than self-reports. One hundred and sixty Asian, Hispanic, and White American male undergraduates from a university in California (USA) were randomly assigned to watch TV advertisements portraying thin women, muscular men, or watched no ads. Their implicit self-esteem was measured using the Implicit Association Test, and a questionnaire assessed explicit self-esteem, actual-ideal body discrepancy, and perception of weight-related health-risks. Exposure to portrayals of muscular men decreased actual-ideal body discrepancy in all men. Exposure to portrayals of thin women increased men's implicit but not explicit self-esteem in Asian and Hispanic men only. Both these findings are consistent with a self-enhancing role of exposure to idealized male and female bodies in advertising, which is often referred to as a “fantasy effect”. This study provides evidence that media exposure interacts with culturally local body ideals and so can produce varying effects in different racial/ethnic groups. This result could have important implications for interventions.

Lamoure J. How Do You Treat Internet Addiction. Cdn J of CME 2012; 24(3): 14

by Dr. Joel Lamoure

Lamoure J. How Do You Treat Internet Addiction. Cdn J of CME 2012; 24(3): 14

There are not many formats or forums at this point that address Internet addiction, and there is even some debate over... more There are not many formats or forums at this point that address Internet addiction, and there is even some debate over whether internet addiction is a true addiction. In my clinical experience and given definitions of addiction, "I would place internet as
being a very highly addictive medium."........

...... It provides a strong “hook” to those who are looking for a form of escapism. That being said, it is legal, cost effective, accessible, and provides instant gratification. It can, however, have a deleterious impact on the patient’s quality and quantity of life, with psychosocial retardation, financial challenges, and relationship challenges.

Much like patients with food or shopping addictions, there is the challenge that it cannot be easily extricated from daily life, especially in western and first/second world countries. Standard strategies that include removal of the offending agent will not work with internet addictions as there is exposure in insidious ways.......

From "Lamoure J. How Do You Treat Internet Addiction. Cdn J of CME 2012; 24(3): 14" (In press)

Dr. Joel W. Lamoure RPh., DD., FASCP
http://www.joelwlamoure.com/id6.html

L'approche écologique en intervention psychosociale: essai théâtral

by Martine Emond

Travail présenté dans le contexte du cours «Communication et Intervention I» en avril 2010. Département de communication sociale et publique de l'UQAM.

-Arielle : Mesdames et Messieurs, bonsoir et soyez les bienvenus dans l’univers d’Arielle Sylvestre (ce disant, elle... more -Arielle : Mesdames et Messieurs, bonsoir et soyez les bienvenus dans l’univers d’Arielle Sylvestre (ce disant, elle fait un salut de manière théâtrale). Je tiens d’abord à vous dire combien il me fait plaisir d’être ici aujourd’hui. Après avoir travaillé de nombreuses années en tant que consultante en communication, tant dans les entreprises que dans le milieu public et communautaire, j’en suis arrivée à une période de grande remise en question au niveau professionnel. J’ai toujours adoré mon métier, car je considère la communication comme la clé de tout changement individuel et collectif. Pourtant, j’avais souvent l’impression d’être contrainte par un système qui me confinait à la surface des choses sans me laisser le temps de toucher la racine des problèmes ni l’essence des êtres. J’ai donc décidé d’entreprendre certaines recherches, et c’est alors que je suis tombée sur un livre qui a complètement changé, non seulement mon travail d’intervention en psychosociologie, mais toute ma façon de vivre.

Il s’agit du livre «Ecofeminism» de Maria Mies et Vandana Shiva. Né de la rencontre entre l’écologie et le féminisme, le mouvement écoféminisme intègre et dépasse largement ces deux concepts, proposant un véritable changement de la conscience. Il m’a inspiré une nouvelle approche de l’intervention psycho-sociale qui se définit au fur et à mesure de mes expériences. L’intervention féministe était déjà pour moi une source d’inspiration, mais afin d’insister sur toute la spécificité de ma nouvelle approche par rapport à l’approche féministe traditionnelle, j’ai choisi de la nommer simplement «Le point de vue écologique» de l’intervention psychosociale. Cette appellation a été proposée par Marquita Riel dans un
article où elle décrit l’influence du mouvement écologique en psychosociologie .

Values and identity process theory: theoretical integration and empirical interactions

by Dr Rusi Jaspal

Bardi, A., Jaspal, R., Polek, E. & Schwartz, S. (forthcoming). Values and identity process theory: theoretical integration and empirical interactions. In R. Jaspal & G.M. Breakwell (eds.), Identity Process Theory: Identity, Social Action and Social Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

**FOR A PDF OF FULL PAPER, E-MAIL ME**

Identity Process Theory (IPT; Breakwell, 1986, 2001) and the Schwartz Value Theory (Schwartz, 1992) focus upon... more Identity Process Theory (IPT; Breakwell, 1986, 2001) and the Schwartz Value Theory (Schwartz, 1992) focus upon distinct but related aspects of the self and have some overlapping propositions particularly in regards to human motivation. Hence, it is surprising that there has been no attempt so far to integrate them theoretically or empirically. This chapter provides the first attempt to address this lacuna in the literature. After presenting key elements of the value theory and the strengths of IPT vis-à-vis competing frameworks of identity, the chapter provides a theoretical integration of the two theories, first in general, and then specifically with regard to identity, value change and social processes. The second part of the chapter provides an empirical examination of interactions between identity processes and values.

Values (e.g., achievement, tradition) convey what is important to people in their lives and according to IPT form part of the individual’s identity. The Schwartz value theory is currently the leading theory of values due to its comprehensive empirical support worldwide, while IPT elucidates the fundamental processes underlying identity construction. Both theories discuss internal organisation (of identity or values) but they differ in focus. While values constitute the criteria individuals use to evaluate actions, people, the self and events, IPT explains how and why identity structures change, particularly in the context of social change. Similarities and differences between the two theoretical frameworks are analysed in the chapter. An important common element of both IPT and values is that of change, both individual and social. Here theoretical suggestions of change in identity (e.g. Breakwell, 2004) and values (Bardi & Goodwin, in press) are integrated.

While IPT mainly outlines the processes that occur in all individuals, albeit mediated by culture, the Schwartz value theory specifies individual differences in the contents of prioritised values. Hence, the Schwartz value theory can add an individual-difference dimension to understand identity processes, which would enrich the theory. We discuss some of the theoretical and empirical advantages associated with integrating frameworks which collectively address the individual and group levels of the self. This will be examined in the empirical part of the paper by testing whether values moderate the link between certain identity principles and the centrality of self-aspects. To illustrate, we predict that the self-direction values will moderate the relationship between a distinctiveness-enhancing identity aspect and its centrality to the individual, such that for those who value self-direction, the more a self-aspect is perceived as distinguishing the self from others, the more central it will be to the individual. As another example, for who value conservation (conformity, tradition, and security), the more a self-aspect is seen as enhancing (1) belonging and (2) continuity, the more central it will be to the individual (Jaspal & Yampolsky, in press). Several other hypotheses will be tested as well.

The chapter concludes that integration of these two theories can advance the understanding of processes of the self, particularly in relation to identity and value change, and encourages researchers to incorporate both values and identity processes in their research into the self.

Development of male proactive and reactive physical aggression during adolescence

by Eric Lacourse

Are the Teachings of Jesus Relevant for Today?

by Daniel Keeran MSW

by Daniel Keeran, MSW

In this brief review of the Sermon on the Mount and Sermon on the Plain, the teachings of Jesus are categorized as... more In this brief review of the Sermon on the Mount and Sermon on the Plain, the teachings of Jesus are categorized as Peace and Nonviolence, Psychological Well-Being, and Social Teachings.

The tyranny of transnational discourse: ‘authenticity’ and Irish diasporic identity in Ireland and England

by Marc Scully

'Early View' version in Nations and Nationalism. The original version of this article was the winner of the 2011 ASEN/Dominique Jacquin-Berdal Essay Prize.

Through the prism of current state discourses in Ireland on engagement with the Irish diaspora, this article examines... more Through the prism of current state discourses in Ireland on engagement with the Irish diaspora, this article examines the empirical merit of the related concepts of ‘diaspora’ and ‘transnationalism’. Drawing on recent research on how Irish identity is articulated and negotiated by Irish people in England, this study suggests a worked distinction between the concepts of ‘diaspora’ and ‘transnationalism’. Two separate discourses of authenticity are compared and contrasted: they rest on a conceptualisation of Irish identity as transnational and diasporic, respectively. I argue that knowledge of contemporary Ireland is constructed as sufficiently important that claims on diasporic Irishness are constrained by the discourse of authentic Irishness as transnational. I discuss how this affects the identity claims of second-generation Irish people, the relationship between conceptualisations of Irishness as diasporic within Ireland and ‘lived’ diasporic Irish identities, and implications for state discourses of diaspora engagement.

Developmental trajectories of boys' delinquent group membership and facilitation of violent behaviors during adolescence

by Eric Lacourse

Prediction of early-onset deviant peer group affiliation: a 12-year longitudinal study

by Eric Lacourse

Du local au global : essai de clarification idéologique préalable. Discours concurrents et revitalisation linguistique en Provence.

by James Costa

Costa, J. (2011). Du local au global : essai de clarification idéologique préalable. Discours concurrents et revitalisation linguistique en Provence. In F. Manzano (Ed.), Unité et diversité de la linguistique (pp. 233-255). Lyon: Publications du Centre d'€™Etudes Linguistiques / Editions de l'université Jean Moulin, Lyon 3.

Forecasting the specific providers that recipients will perceive as unusually supportive

by Edward Orehek

2011, Personal Relationships, 18, 677-696

Perceived support primarily reflects the relationships among specific recipients and providers. These strong... more Perceived support primarily reflects the relationships among specific recipients and providers. These strong relational influences suggest a new approach to interventions: Match specific providers with specific recipients so that unusually supportive relationships emerge. For this approach to be successful, progress must be made on several basic research questions. For example, it must be possible to forecast the specific providers that recipients will perceive as unusually supportive (i.e., forecasting relational support). In 2 studies, support recipients had 3 or 5 conversations with the same providers and reported affect, provider supportiveness, and perceived similarity (Study 2 only) after each conversation. Relational support could be forecasted from recipients' reactions to a single, brief conversation with each provider, even after 4 months had elapsed.

Participative observation: a methodological approach to school psychology

by Joao Batista Martins

published in Semina: Cie. Sociais/Humanas, Londrina, v. 17, n. 3, p. 266-273, Sep. 1996.

The purpose of this paper is to take the participative observation into consideration as an appropriate methodology to... more The purpose of this paper is to take the participative observation into consideration as an appropriate methodology to the work of scholar psychologists. We consider the school as a social construction prescribed through the representations of the social agents who participate in its day by day Iife. The participative observation permits the psychologists to research the structures of social relations and to give alternative ways to solve the problems in order to achieve the school goals. Therefore, the job of psychologists should be to get the social representations of school social segments in the sense to discover the contradictions that come up in the school relation routine.

Persistence of attitude change and attitude–behavior correspondence based on extensive processing of source information

by Edward Orehek

2012, European Journal of Social Psychology, 42, 103-111.

A three-phase longitudinal study (spread over a month’s time)was carried out to investigate attitude’s persistence and... more A three-phase longitudinal study (spread over a month’s time)was carried out to investigate attitude’s persistence and linkage to behavior as it may be affected by the processing of information about the communication source. The following three independent variables were manipulated: (i) contents of the source of information (implying the communicator to be expert or inexpert on the topic of the communication); (ii) length of the source information (brief versus lengthy); and (iii) message recipients’ involvement in the issue at hand (high versus low). Replicating prior research when the source information was brief, it exerted greater persuasive impact under low versus high involvement, and when it was lengthy, it exerted greater persuasive impact under high versus low involvement. Of greater importance, the newly acquired attitudes were more persistent and were linked more strongly to actual behavior when the source information was lengthy (versus brief) provided the recipients had high (versus low) involvement in the issue. These findings were interpreted to mean that just like with the message/issue information in prior research, when processed extensively, source information, too, may contribute to the formation of persistent and behavior-driving attitudes.

The David and Goliath principle: Cultural, ideological and attitudinal underpinnings of the normative protection of low status groups from criticism.

by Robbie Sutton

Jeffries, C., Hornsey, M. J., Sutton, R. M., Douglas, K. M., & Bain, P. (in press). Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

Two studies documented the “David and Goliath” rule – the tendency for people to perceive criticism of “David” groups... more Two studies documented the “David and Goliath” rule – the tendency for people to perceive criticism of “David” groups (groups with low power and status) as less normatively permissible than criticism of “Goliath” groups (groups with high power and status). We confirmed the existence of the David and Goliath rule across five national samples (Study 1). However the rule was endorsed more strongly in Western than in Chinese cultures, an effect mediated by cultural differences in power distance. Study 2 identified the psychological underpinnings of this rule in an Australian sample. Lower social dominance orientation (SDO) was associated with greater endorsement of the rule, an effect mediated through the differential attribution of stereotypes. Specifically, those low in SDO were more likely to attribute traits of warmth and incompetence to David versus Goliath groups, a pattern of stereotypes that was related to the protection of David groups from criticism.

The value of genuine and polite smiles.

by Danielle Shore