Social Psychological Perspective Research Articles

Elite sense-making in the core executive: the case of Denmark’s 2020 Minkgate Scandal

Abstract This article analyzes the Danish Mink Scandal of 2020 using Karl Weick’s sense-making theory. It zooms in on the 72-hour decision-making process that led to the culling of Denmark’s entire 17 million farmed-for-fur mink population in response to the perceived threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) forming a new mutation. Since there was insufficient legal justification for the culling, the prime minister was forced to call a snap general election, leading to a change of government. We exploit detailed data material containing text messages, e-mail correspondence, documentary material, and specific inquiries. The article demonstrates the strength of Weick’s social–psychological perspective on sense-making for public management research. It shows how time pressure can cut across heavily institutionalized standard operating procedures. It can increase the centralization of the decision-making power at the apex and decouple the formal legal responsibilities, which remain institutionalized with the line ministries. The study argues that sense-making offers learning points that cannot be obtained from formal legal perspectives, which are used to assign responsibilities. Indeed, ex-post thinking may be too convenient—traditional solutions like punishing leaders or agencies may obscure the discovery of more systemic vulnerabilities when crises unfold.

The chain mediating role of parenting stress and child maltreatment in the association between maternal adverse childhood experiences and executive functions in preschool children: a longitudinal study.

Previous researches found that maternal adverse childhood experiences not only affect the psychological behavior of preschool children, but also have direct or indirect negative effects on the executive functions and cognition of offspring. And, the possible social psychological mechanism between maternal adverse childhood experiences and preschool children's executive functions is still not clear. This study mainly tries to understand the association between parenting stress and child maltreatment in maternal adverse childhood experiences and children's executive functions through longitudinal cohort. Participants were 2160 preschool children and their mothers who finally completed baseline and 3 waves of follow-up. Using a cohort study, a baseline survey of junior kindergartens was carried out in June 2021 and followed up every six months, with a total of 3 follow-ups. We found that executive functions in preschoolers were significantly positively correlated with maternal adverse childhood experiences, parenting stress, physical assault, psychological aggression, neglect and nonviolent discipline (r = 0.180, 0.386, 0.274, 0.302, 0.189, 0.148, respectively, P < 0.01). Further, parenting stress and child maltreatment showed a chain mediating effect between maternal adverse childhood experiences and executive functions in preschoolers, and the total indirect effects accounted for 70.56%, 78.69%, 65.38%, and 68.07% of the total effect, respectively. This study found that maternal adverse childhood experiences have a significant impact on the executive functions of preschool children, and parenting stress and child maltreatment are the mediating factors of their association, revealing the potential mechanism between the two associations from the perspective of social psychology.

Analysing the Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Mental Health Differences in Chinese Society: Integrating Cultural, Psychological and Technological Perspectives.

Mental health (MH) differences remain an issue in contemporary Chinese society, with various factors influencing individuals' well-being. This study investigates the complex connection between results related to psychological wellness and social issues, integrating cultural, psychological and technological perspectives. Through a quantitative research methodology, data were collected from 1000 individuals using a questionnaire survey and analysed using SPSS software. The study's findings shed light on the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on MH stigma, help-seeking behaviour and overall well-being. The findings identify that lower SES was associated with heightened levels of MH stigma and decreased the search for assistance actions. Cultural beliefs emphasising MH stigma and societal expectations were identified as mediators in the connection involve SES and MH outcomes. Digital technology use emerged as a moderator, indicating that higher levels of technology utilisation were linked to reduced disparities in accessing MH resources. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive examination of the multifaceted factors influencing MH disparities within Chinese society. Additionally, psychological factors such as resilience and social support were observed to mitigate the negative lower SES's effect on MH consequences. The interaction between SES and cultural factors was found to predict MH outcomes, with lower SES exacerbating the effects of MH stigma and cultural barriers.

Exploring the Impact of AI Enhancement on the Sports App Community: Analyzing Human-Computer Interaction and Social Factors Using a Hybrid SEM-ANN Approach

The iteration of AI technology has enhanced the industry competitiveness of sports apps and brought a new emotional experience to users. However, the community function of AI-enabled sports apps has not yet received sufficient attention. This study adopts the technology acceptance model framework through the human-computer interaction and social psychology perspectives, incorporating perceived interactivity (human-human interaction, human-information interaction, human-system interaction), user experience (functional experience, content experience, and emotional experience), attachment theory (emotional attachment, emotional loyalty), social identity, social trust, and satisfaction variables to construct a theoretical model. It aims to solve the problem of how AI can enhance users’ emotional interaction, community stickiness, and ultimately social interaction satisfaction in sports apps. Through literature review, theoretical analysis, and case study, the Chinese “KEEP” APP was identified as the research object, and the questionnaire was constructed with an improved test scale. The study used a cross-sectional sampling method to collect data from Chinese online platforms for three months (N = 520) and tested the hypotheses in the theoretical model through structural equation modeling and artificial neural networks. The results of the study show that (1) emotional attachment, emotional loyalty, social identity, and social trust positively and significantly affect user satisfaction; (2) emotional attachment and social identity positively and significantly affect human-human interaction; (3) perceived usefulness, social identity, and social trust significantly construct an influence loop on the internal path. Compared with existing studies, this study proposes a multidimensional innovative framework that reveals the deeper influence mechanism of AI technology in sports APP communities and makes up for the shortcomings of existing studies in terms of users’ emotional interactions and community stickiness. Through this study, sports APP developers and operators, marketers, AI technology developers, as well as sports enthusiasts, and general users can obtain specific practical suggestions to further optimize the design and functionality of sports apps, and enhance the overall user experience and satisfaction.

Media Frame and Audience Cognitive Bias: Assessing News Effectiveness from a Social Psychological Perspective

Media Frame and Audience Cognitive Bias: Assessing News Effectiveness from a Social Psychological Perspective

Are social justice and sustainability interdependent? If so, how and under what conditions?

AbstractSustainability often entails dealing with issues of justice in the distribution of goods and bads, such as resources and restrictions. Applications of justice to concrete situations, including what is deserved and entitled, call for specifications of several issues, like the meaning of “deservingness” and “entitlement” and how justice should be accomplished. This is a key aspect for sustainability, as social arrangements that are not experienced as fair may not be long‐lived. Conversely, justice may be an empty notion unless it is sustainable. With this in mind, we provide an inventory of factors to analyze the relationship between (un)sustainability and social (in)justice from a social psychological perspective. We (a) clarify the gist of the two subjective notions, (b) discuss their interdependences, (c) provide a list of factors for analyses, and (d) illustrate how they may be applied to two cases, one at a global level (food accessibility) and the other at a local level (distribution of renewable energy resources in communities). The proposed framework forms the basis of empirical analyses of the social dimension of sustainability.

Bystanders’ willingness to assist using automated external defibrillators during cardiac arrest

The “bystander effect,” in which the presence of others inhibits rescue actions, has not been specifically examined in the context of cardiac arrest; understanding this effect in relation to rescue with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) is important. This study aims to identify the presence of others as a factor inhibiting rescue actions using an AED, from a social psychology perspective. We collected data through a web-based questionnaire involving registered residents in all 47 prefectures of Japan. The participants were presented with hypothetical scenarios of witnessing cardiac arrest events at train stations, under sparse or crowded conditions, and with or without the presence of competent parties (e.g., station staff or security guards). Their willingness to intervene was assessed across three levels of rescue behavior: (1) running and calling for help, (2) retrieving an AED, and (3) using an AED. This study found evidence of the bystander effect, indicating that the presence of competent others reduced behavioral interventions by bystanders during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) events. Moreover, the perceived presence of competent parties at the scene of a cardiac arrest reduced bystanders’ willingness to initiate rescue under certain circumstances. While many bystanders were willing to initiate rescue efforts in response to calls for help, they resisted rescues involving an AED. This study observes that a bystander effect occurs among bystanders witnessing OHCA, explores the inhibiting effects of identifying competent parties on the initiation of rescue efforts, and suggests that there are significant invisible barriers to using AEDs in rescuing patients with OHCA.

‘Social psychology of the emergence of Iranian neo-nationalism discourse in present-day Iran: a case study of the Persian Gulf Facebook channel’

ABSTRACT The discourse of Iranian nationalism exhibits distinct attributes, including Aryanism, anti-Arabism, and a yearning to restore ancient Iran. Originating during the Qajar period and prevailing throughout the Pahlavi era, this discourse faced marginalization following the Islamic Revolution, remaining dormant for three decades. However, in the past decade, it has experienced a gradual resurgence and gained media representation, termed ‘Iranian neo-nationalism’ for reasons elucidated in the introduction. This study aims to investigate the factors underlying this resurgence. Utilizing the qualitative content analysis method and the theory of politicized group identity from a social psychology perspective, the paper contends that this re-emergence is grounded in enduring political, cultural, and global processes, as well as immediate cognitive and psychological processes. These intertwined processes reveal an ‘identity security dilemma’ in Iran.

Professional Associations as Networks: How Informal Networking Characterizes Inter-Agency Collaboration from a Social Psychology Perspective

Relatively little empirical and theoretical research in public management explores the roles of professional associations in collaborative governance and inter-governmental relationships. Drawing on network perspectives and social psychology literature, this study aims to bridge the gap by examining the case of the Los Angeles County Management Council (LACMC) and theorizing about the characteristics of inter-agency collaboration that is derived from local professional associations. Results from the qualitative analysis reveal five key themes: relational comfort and affect-based trust, autonomy and spontaneity in knowledge sharing, shared identity and group cohesion, enhanced system awareness, and informal accountability.

Understanding the effect of contractual complexity on regulatory focus in construction projects: the moderating role of organizational culture

How the behavioral motivation of each organization is shaped or emerges during the interorganizational transaction deserves more investigation. Drawing on regulatory focus theory, this study delves into the impact of contractual complexity and organizational culture on regulatory focus as behavioral motivation in construction projects. This study dissects contractual complexity into control, coordination, and adaptation grounded in a functional perspective, decomposes regulatory focus into prevention focus and promotion focus, and splits organizational culture into group culture, developmental culture, hierarchical culture, and rational culture. Through validating the empirical data from 411 questionnaires within Chinese construction sector, this study uncovers that contractual control and contractual coordination positively affect prevention focus, while contractual adaptation positively affects promotion focus. Four different types of organizational culture play different moderating roles in the process of stimulating regulatory focus. Organizations with high group culture have a strong driving force for the formation of both regulatory focuses. In contrast, the average level of hierarchical culture, developmental culture, or rational culture is not conducive to the formation of prevention focus or promotion focus. These findings explain how behavioral motivation is impacted by transaction characteristics such as contracts from the perspective of social psychology, confirm the spillover effect of organizational culture of one party at the interorganizational level, and provide suggestions for practitioners on how to develop interorganizational relationships and allocate resources appropriately.

Self-Esteem, Stigma ad Social Support in Occupational Therapy

Our work starts from the finding that, at present time, among the theorists and practitioners of occupational therapy, the need for a holistic model of approach is invoked. In such a model, the perspective of social psychology can have a decisive role. From the field of concepts and themes of social psychology, we have chosen to focus our attention in this paper on self-esteem, stigma and social support. Each of these concepts is briefly described and then related to the substantiation needs of occupational therapy, both at the theoretical level and at the level of intervention and training of professionals in the field.

A Social Psychology and Contemplative Science Perspective on Character and Virtue

A Social Psychology and Contemplative Science Perspective on Character and Virtue

Memahami Tantangan dan Solusi Quarter-Life Crisis dalam Perspektif Psikologi Sosial

This research aims to understand the challenges and solutions faced by young adults experiencing a quarter-life crisis (QLC) from a social psychology perspective. The method used is a case study involving individuals aged 20-30 years. The results show that QLC is a period of significant crisis, characterized by uncertainty and anxiety regarding career, interpersonal relationships, and self-identity. The main causal factors include social pressure, comparison of oneself with others, and family and environmental expectations. The psychological impacts that arise include feelings of being trapped, anxiety, and depression, which affect an individual's mental and emotional well-being. This research identified four main stages in QLC: feelings of being trapped, the urge to change the situation, efforts to rebuild life, and finally achieving control and life satisfaction. Effective solutions to overcome QLC include psychological interventions such as solution-focused therapy, limiting social media use, and developing a strong social support network. Better self-understanding and focusing on concrete actions are also important strategies in dealing with uncertainty and anxiety during this period. This research provides important insights for psychology practitioners and individuals facing QLC, and emphasizes the need for interventions tailored to each individual's specific needs. With the right support, individuals can manage QLC more effectively and achieve a more stable and fulfilling life.

Recognizing the Importance of Empathy and Humanity from Aesthetic and Social-Psychological Perspectives to Promote Sustainability in Fashion Design Education

Recognizing the Importance of Empathy and Humanity from Aesthetic and Social-Psychological Perspectives to Promote Sustainability in Fashion Design Education

Morality matters: social psychological perspectives on how and why CSR activities and communications affect stakeholders’ support - experimental design evidence for the mediating role of perceived organizational morality comparing WEIRD (UK) and non-WEIRD (Russia) country

Companies’ communications about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) have become increasingly prevalent yet psychological reasons for why those communications might lead to positive reactions of the general public are not fully understood. Building on theories on impression formation and social evaluation, we assess how CSR communications affect perceived morality and competence of a company. We theorize that the organization’s CSR activities would positively impact on perceived organizational morality rather than on perceived organizational competence and that this increase in perceived organizational morality leads to an increase in stakeholders’ support. Two experimental design studies show support for our theorizing. We cross-validated the robustness and generality of the prediction in two countries with different business practices (UK (N = 203), Russia (N = 96)). We demonstrated that while the general perceptions of companies and CSR differ between the UK and Russia, the underlying psychological mechanisms work in a similar fashion. By testing our predictions in western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) and in non- WEIRD countries, we also extend current socio-psychological insights on the social evaluation of others. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.

Interpreting Neuroscientific Evidence in the Legal Domain: Do the Stereotypes Come In?

The current article explores the meaning of neuroscientific evidence in the legal domain. It takes a social-psychological perspective to discuss how group-based stereotypes affect legal decision-making critically. Examining how any interpretation is anchored and objectified is interesting as evidence is interpreted in the context. Dominantly, with the ubiquity of neuroscience in different domains, the brain is positioned as an authentic source of nurturing authenticity. It is observed that sometimes unquestionable scientific knowledge may surpass the rationality and intuition of judges. In one way, it is a boon; in another, it is shaping the whole framework of our knowledge system, where knowledge from brain studies reifies our understanding of human actions and thinking.

Mechanism of Formation and Propagation of Internet Rumors from the Perspective of Social Psychology

Rumor is a typical social public opinion phenomenon. With the advent of the internet era, the intensity and breadth of internet rumors have increased, resulting in more profound and prominent impacts on society. Current research on internet rumors mainly involves theoretical analysis, but lacks a clear, common theoretical perspective. The social psychology communication perspective is precisely the perspective that studies how social information is disseminated, how individuals and groups in society perceive information dissemination, and how individuals and groups in society respond to information dissemination. This study argues that the social psychology communication perspective is an important theoretical perspective for analyzing the phenomenon of internet rumors. This study suggests that mechanisms such as diffusion of responsibility, cognitive closure, thinking patterns, self-serving bias, and emotional contagion contribute to the continuous generation and rapid spread of internet rumors. This paper also proposes countermeasures and suggestions for governing internet rumors from the perspectives of multiple social entities such as media and regulatory agencies.

Analysis of Network Public Opinion from the Perspective of Social Psychology

Online public opinion refers to the behavior of individuals or groups of people discussing, commenting, and expressing their views on a particular topic or event on the Internet through various forms of social media. With the popularity of the Internet and the rise of social media, online public opinion plays an important role in today’s society. It is not only an important channel for information dissemination but also an influence on social trends, public opinions, and values. Therefore, the analysis of network public opinion has important theoretical and practical significance.

The aftermath of the 2019 Pulwama terror attack – religion, nationalism and exclusion in online news comment sections

ABSTRACT This study analyses the Indian and Pakistani publics reactions of the extensive coverage of the Pulwama terror attack, through an analysis of the online comments appearing at the end of the news stories covering the attack from the two leading English newspapers: Times of India (TOI) (India), and Dawn (D) (Pakistan). A qualitative content analysis is performed to compare and examine this dialogue emerging in the news comments sections. Findings are explored and discussed through conceptualizations of religion, nationalism, and a social psychological perspective towards exclusion of out-groups.

The Use of Turning Points in Understanding Homelessness Transitions: A Critical Social Psychological Perspective

ABSTRACT We argue for use of the narrative concept of the “turning point” in homelessness research from a critical social psychology perspective. BackgroundTurning points are often understood as rifts in the life course followed by significant change in direction. However, within narrative theory they are not events but subjectively significant features of the person’s life-story. The turning point as narrative toolThe analysis identified how turning points were deployed by participants in a study of homelessness experiences. Participants used the turning point in constructing themselves as agentic, reformed individuals who had gained insight. However, this did not necessarily bring positive life changes. Data extracts are used to illustrate the power of adopting a constructivist, narrative theoretical orientation in understanding turning points in accounts of homelessness. Implications for practiceViewing turning points in this way may help us understand how best to provide support for people without housing.