Social Psychological Theories Research Articles

Motivation of Financial Decision-Making in the Era of Mass Media: An Interpretation of the Influence of Media Discourse on Credit Suisse Group Customer Behavior

This paper aims to interpret the media's influence on customer behavior within the Credit Suisse Group from the vantage point of social psychology, elucidating the underlying drivers of financial decision-making in the age of mass media. Through an analysis encompassing the relationship between financial decision-making and social psychology theories, the distinctive features characterizing Credit Suisse Group's customer behavior, and the impact of media discourse on customer conduct, this study delves into the role of social cognition in shaping customer behavior as well as the affective ramifications of media discourse on customers. The findings underscore the pivotal roles of social cognition and media discourse in financial decision-making. This study holds significant theoretical implications and practical relevance for comprehending the impetuses behind financial decisions and the sway of mass media on customer behavior.

A social psychology of climate change: Progress and promise.

Social psychologists have conducted research relevant to environmental problems for many decades. However, the climate crisis presents a new problem with distinctive aspects and distinctive urgency. This paper reviews some of the principal ways in which social psychological research and theory have approached the topic, looking at perceptions, behaviour, and impacts linked to climate change. Each of these areas is becoming more sophisticated in acknowledging the diversity of experience among groups that vary in demographics and social roles. I close by identifying three important facets for future research: a focus on social justice, an effort to participate in interdisciplinary efforts, and an emphasis on maximizing our impact.

MODERN APPROACHES TO CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS

The article examines the essence and features of conflicts. Conflicts should be understood as a complex phenomenon that can be caused by various circumstances, contradictions between two or more parties, and is accompanied by mutual actions or disagreements and can have various consequences. The main features of conflict are given, which include: contradiction, mutual disagreement, interaction, tension, desire for influence and the need for a solution. The existing conflict theories were studied, in particular within the framework of systems theory (conflicts arise as a result of disagreements and imbalances in systems, in particular social, political and economic), functionalist theory (conflicts are considered as a normal and necessary part of social life) and social-psychological theory (conflicts arise as a result of disagreements interests (individual, group and intergroup). The main advantages and disadvantages of the considered theories are given. With the development of the theory of conflicts, their essence and meaning were rethought and considered from different points of view. It should be noted that until the 20th century, conflict was considered as an exclusively negative phenomenon, however , after the 20th century, views on its essence have changed, and it is considered from the point of view of positive content, which contributes not only to problems in the activities of organizations, but also to their development. Conflicts between guests and employees result in the form of various complaints, which are divided into the following categories: complaints about service, complaints about cleanliness and hygiene, complaints about technical problems, complaints about the quality of food in the establishment, complaints about accommodation and comfort, etc. The article lists the main conflict generators by manifestation and behavior (negative attitude, condescending attitude, boastful attitude, mentoring relationships, dishonesty and insincerity, ethical violations, regressive behavior) and by the field of manifestation (social, economic, political, cultural, psychological). The article describes the peculiarities of conflict management in the hotel and restaurant business, which are caused by a large number of interested parties, emotional tension, a variety of cultures and communications, and the presence of guests.

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE: IMPLICATIONS FOR COLLECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS

Objective: The objectives of this study are: 1. evaluate the effect of job-related diversity on collective organizational commitment in public sector organizations in Nigeria; 2. evaluate the effect of cultural diversity on collective organizational commitment in public sector organizations in Nigeria. The aim of the study is to examine diversity in the workplace to achieve collective organizational commitment in public sector organizations in Nigeria. Theoretical Framework: In this topic, the main concepts and theories that underpin the research are presented. The theory that is related to this work having reviewed some theories is the Social Identity Theory. Social identity theory is a social psychological theory that is utilized in organizations to obtain high employee performance. Social identity theory gives more understanding of diversity in terms of understanding the role of group divisions in organization. Method: The study relied on a self-developed structured questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. Using SPSS version 20 software, descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to assess the data and statistically analysed the data that had been collected. Results and Discussion: The findings revealed that job-related diversity has a significant effect on collective organizational commitment in public sector organizations in Nigeria (β=0.077, p<0.05), and that cultural diversity has no significant effect on collective organizational commitment in public sector organizations in Nigeria (β =0.030, p>0.05). Originality/Value: Previous studies had focused on different types of diversity and their attributes, but have not adequately addressed the factors that can strengthen the relationships. This study to filled this gap by examining the impact of workplace diversity on organizational commitment in the Nigerian Public Sector Organizations. The research also highlighted the need for a combination of cultural and experiential factors to understand the challenges faced by employees in a diverse workplace..

Development as a paradigm of social psychology

This article reveals the relevance of the study of development as a paradigm of social psychology and examines the essence of the socio-psychological approach to its understanding. The difficulties that occur in defining the concept, subject, and structure and ensuring the formation of modern social psychology are analyzed. The prospects of this industry are connected with their overcoming. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the crucial task is to create a general theory of social psychology. At the same time, the theory of development is an integral part of the general theory. They complement each other. There is still a lot to be done both theoretically and practically for its full design. Without this, it is impossible to speak about the effective formation of modern social psychology. Currently, there is an urgent need for the development of individuals, groups, families, organizations, and all spheres of society.

Positive Psychology Interventions for Hospitality Management: A Future Research Agenda

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a research agenda in hospitality management, utilizing positive psychology interventions to improve the wellbeing of customers and employees. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify, evaluate, and synthesize existing research. A conceptual model is proposed for integrating these interventions into hospitality management, aiming to foster both hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing. The model informs future research and practical application, extending beyond traditional social psychology theories. Industry recommendations include the application of generosity strategies, the incorporation of wellbeing models in marketing, and a collective wellbeing management philosophy.

Examining the Role of HRM Practices in Fostering Employee Engagement Towards CSR Initiative.

This paper investigates the pivotal role of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices in fostering employee engagement towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives within organizations. CSR has become a cornerstone of modern business strategy, acknowledging its significance in promoting sustainable practices and societal well-being. Employee engagement serves as a crucial link between CSR initiatives and organizational success, influencing attitudes, behaviors, and commitment levels among employees. Drawing upon existing literature and empirical evidence, this research provides insights into how HRM practices can effectively nurture and sustain employee engagement towards CSR, thereby contributing to enhanced organizational performance and social impact. [1] Theoretical frameworks such as Social Exchange Theory and Psychological Contract Theory are utilized to understand the mechanisms through which HRM practices shape employee attitudes and behaviors towards CSR. Social Exchange Theory elucidates how HRM practices serve as indicators of organizational support and commitment, fostering reciprocity and engagement among employees towards CSR goals. Psychological Contract Theory highlights the role of HRM practices in shaping the implicit expectations and obligations between employees and organizations, influencing perceptions of trust, fairness, and mutual respect, which in turn drive engagement towards CSR. [2] The paper explores key HRM practices that play a vital role in fostering employee engagement towards CSR initiatives, including recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, and rewards and incentives. It discusses how organizations can integrate CSR considerations into these practices to create an enabling environment that motivates and empowers employees to actively participate in CSR efforts. Furthermore, implications for HRM practice are outlined, emphasizing the need for strategic alignment between HRM and CSR objectives, leveraging technology and communication channels to enhance employee engagement, and fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52783/tjjpt.v45.i02.6106

Can We Teach the Intuitive Dog New Tricks? Reconciling Jonathan Haidt’s Viewpoint Diversity with His Moral Psychology

In recent years, many scholars drew attention to political polarization in academia and attempted to reduce it. Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, suggests that his framework of “viewpoint diversity” can reduce polarization. However, this framework contradicts his earlier work, especially the “social intuitionist model.” On the one hand, he argues that reason is not crucial to changing someone’s mind. He uses the metaphor of a dog who makes intuitive decisions and wags its tail (reason) to communicate and justify them. On the other hand, he believes that scholars can change each other’s minds on political issues through reason. This paper seeks to reveal the tension between “viewpoint diversity” and the “social intuitionist model” and to reconcile it. In order to ground these frameworks into social psychological theories, this paper examines the social intuitionist model in relation to cognitive dissonance theory and suggests modifications to Haidt’s “viewpoint diversity” based on cognitive reappraisal.

Status-Aware Signed Heterogeneous Network Embedding With Graph Neural Networks.

Many real-world applications are inherently modeled as signed heterogeneous networks or graphs with positive and negative links. Signed graph embedding embeds rich structural and semantic information of a signed graph into low-dimensional node representations. Existing methods usually exploit social structural balance theory to capture the semantics of the complex structure in a signed graph. These methods either omit the node features or may discard the direction information of the links. To address these issues, we propose a new framework, called a status-aware graph neural network (S-GNN), to boost the representation learning performance. S-GNN is equipped with a loss function designed based on status theory, a social-psychological theory specifically developed for directed signed graphs. Extensive experimental results on benchmarking datasets verified that S-GNN can distill comprehensive information ingrained in a signed graph in the embedding space. Specifically, S-GNN achieves state-of-the-art accuracy, robustness, and scalability: it speeds up the processing time of link sign prediction by up to 6.5 × and increases accuracy by up to 18.8% as compared with the alternatives. We also show that S-GNN can obtain effective status scores of nodes for link sign prediction and node ranking tasks, both of which yield state-of-the-art performance.

How does the UK public think and feel about people with visual impairment: a review of existing evidence.

Despite legislation to protect people with visual impairment (V.I.) from discrimination in the United Kingdom (UK), the latter continue to experience overt and covert negative behaviours. Perceived discrimination has been associated with an adverse impact on identity, health and well-being, while negative attitudes have been identified as the biggest barrier to participation in everyday life. This article provides a narrative review of existing evidence of how the UK public treats (behaviours), thinks (perceptions) and feels (attitudes) about people with V.I. Despite limitations, the findings suggest that there is a gap between the behaviours reported by people with V.I. and the attitudes expressed by members of the UK public. Social psychological theories are used to explore possible reasons for this gap, and ways in which it may be addressed. As such, the article provides an example of how social psychological theories can be used to address problems in an applied context.

Conflictual meetings between social identities in analytic group therapy

Social identities play a significant role in the development of personality and various disorders and challenges. In addition, they play an important role in the encounter between representatives of different social groups and can add to personality and interpersonal perspectives to group dynamics. Despite their significance, exploration of social identities occurs mainly in the realms of social psychology and post-colonialist theories and not so much in psychoanalysis, which favours the individual perspective over the social. Foulkes, the founder of group analysis, started a revolution in the field of psychoanalysis when he focussed on the social world and its significant influence on development. However, some of his successors argued that due to political and other reasons, Foulkes did not ‘follow through’ with his own theory and in his therapy groups he did not put sufficient emphasis on exploration of social identities and power relations. This article reviews the concept of social identities through four theoretical disciplines: social psychology, psychoanalysis, postcolonial theories and group analysis. A vignette from an analytic group that has been meeting for two years and coped with the meeting of different social identities in the complex Israeli reality will be discussed.

Managing Online Reputation in the Age of Cancel Culture

Purpose: The general objective of this study was to examine managing online reputation in the age of cancel culture.
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
 Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to online reputation in the age of cancel culture. The study highlighted the importance of proactive reputation management strategies, stakeholder engagement, and adaptation in navigating the complexities of cancel culture in the digital era. By emphasizing transparency, authenticity, and responsiveness, individuals and organizations can mitigate reputational risks and maintain trust and credibility online. Drawing upon insights from social psychology theories and empirical research, the study underscores the need for continuous monitoring, collaboration, and ethical leadership to address systemic issues and promote positive online behavior. Overall, the study emphasizes the significance of adaptability, empathy, and strategic communication in effectively managing online reputation amidst the challenges of cancel culture.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Social Identity theory, Social Learning theory and Attribution theory may be used to anchor future studies on managing online reputation. In managing online reputation amidst cancel culture, prioritizing transparency and authenticity in communication is crucial for building trust and credibility with stakeholders. Organizations should develop comprehensive crisis communication plans tailored to the digital landscape, enabling swift responses to reputational crises and minimizing negative publicity. Proactive monitoring of online conversations allows organizations to anticipate and mitigate emerging issues, shaping public perception positively. Additionally, prioritizing stakeholder engagement fosters meaningful relationships and demonstrates accountability, while upholding ethical principles safeguards credibility and mitigates reputational harm. Continuous evaluation of reputation management efforts ensures adaptability and improvement, enabling organizations to navigate cancel culture challenges effectively and preserve trust with stakeholders.

Building Better Theories: Prediction Intervals as a Tool for Theory Testing and Improvement

The precision with which a theory predicts behavior speaks both to the quality of that theory and to its potential utility in real-world applications. Unfortunately, predictive precision is frequently overlooked when evaluating theories in social psychology. Here we call attention to the benefits of placing more emphasis on predictive precision. We define what we mean by predictive precision, consider its role in theory evaluation from a philosophy of science perspective, and suggest a method for quantifying it: by constructing prediction intervals. A prediction interval is the range of values within which an empirical observation (e.g., a sample mean) is expected to fall some specified percentage (e.g., 95%) of the time. The size of a prediction interval reflects the degree of fluctuation in the empirical observations expected by theory, and so the precision of its prediction. Prediction intervals are useful because they simplify theory testing and provide a metric by which theory improvement—and so scientific progress—can be gauged. Prediction intervals are easily created when theories are expressed formally as agent-based models. We illustrate the process of creating and using prediction intervals in three detailed examples, each involving a different agent-based model concerned with the behavior of small interacting groups.

FARMERS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE ADOPTION OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (LITERATURE ANALYSIS)

Increasing farmer acceptance and adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices is essential to mitigate the negative impacts of agriculture. However, farmers are not a homogeneous group, and their behavior is subject to a complex set of structural, socio-economic, and socio-psychological influences. Human behavior is one of the driving forces for successful agribusiness management. However, it can be the basis of many resource management problems at the same time and is often the component that is not given enough attention when developing management plans. Moreover, the implementation of agricultural strategies relies on the individual behavior. Individual behavior is based on a variety of social, psychological, institutional, and economic factors that must be understood for successful implementation of farm management strategies. This paper reviews a highly specialized literature in the area of farmers' attitudes and intentions to adopt pro-environmental behavior. The aim of this paper is to analyze the application of some of the social psychology theories in the area of adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and to summarize the factors that influence farmers' attitudes towards adoption. This in turn would help to better understand the agricultural unit and the agricultural sector as a whole. The report examines qualitative and quantitative summaries of highly specialized literature studies published in scientific databases such as Ebsco, Science Direct and others. The literature summarizes analyses over the last few decades of farmers' attitudes and intentions towards adopting pro-environmental behaviors, and the factors by which they are influenced. In order to fulfill its objective, the report is based on two main points, which are discussed in detail separately, namely „Theoretical approaches and models for adopting sustainable agricultural practices“, and „Factors influencing attitudes towards the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices“. Key words: attitudes, sustainable agricultural practices, conservation practices, pro-environmental behavior, farming JEL code: Q12, Q15, Q19

Biracial Faces Offer Visual Cues of Successful Intergroup Contact: Genetic Admixture and Coalition Detection.

This research explores how biracial facial cues affect racial perception and social judgment. We tested a coalition-signaling hypothesis of biracial cues in two studies conducted in the United States (n = 227) and China (n = 116). From the perspective of intergroup and interpersonal relations theories in social psychology, biracial features would likely be perceived as cues of threat or resource competition. In contrast, we propose an evolutionary hypothesis that biracial facial cues reveal the ancestral history of intergroup alliances between members of two races or ethnic groups. When racial cues are mixed, we predict that biracial individuals may be viewed more positively than other-race or even own-race members who often compete for limited ingroup resources. The participants observed facial images that ranged from 100% Asian to 100% Caucasian, including morphed biracial composites of 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70% Caucasian or Asian. The participants evaluated each image regarding perceived Caucasianness (Asianness), attractiveness, trustworthiness, health, intelligence, and career prospects. The US and Chinese samples yielded a similar pattern of own-race bias in racial perception and biracial favoritism in social judgment. The social judgment ratings were not correlated with the racial perception scores and were independent of the sex of the participants or biracial images, indicating a coalitional motive, instead of a mating motive, underlying social perception of biracial individuals. Overall, the results suggest that biracial facial features signal a successful genetic admixture and coalition in parental generations and thus increase the trustworthiness and cooperative potential of a biracial person.

Exploring How House Staff Unions Impact the Program Director-Resident Educational Alliance.

In 1999, the National Labor Relations Board determined that residents function as employees, thereby allowing them to freely unionize. From 2020 to 2023, house staff (i.e., resident physicians and fellows) unions have significantly increased, and 8 physician training centers, representing nearly 4,000 house staff, have unionized since March 2021. While unions provide residents with an important tool in effecting change in their workplace, their introduction into the educational milieu has the potential to alter the program director (PD)-resident relationship. In this article, the authors use the educational alliance framework to detail 3 factors required to support a quality educational relationship between a resident and their PD. They also elaborate on how the introduction of unions may impact the PD-resident relationship and explore the potential unintended consequences of unionization as it pertains to this relationship. The authors then use 2 social psychology theories, naïve realism and motivated reasoning, to describe common framing dynamics that lead to conflict during collective bargaining processes. They conclude by offering strategies that PDs may use to mitigate tensions that arise in contract negotiations, even without a direct seat at the table. Ultimately, PDs should anticipate continued growth of resident unions and prepare themselves and their programs for the tensions that may arise from this action. The PD role as a neutral third party ought to be preserved, which is possible if all parties set reasonable expectations for the changes in the PD's role and responsibilities under a union. PDs should understand the 3 core aspects of the educational alliance and the importance of establishing credibility with their residents early on to build a strong foundation.

Social Psychological Perspectives on Islandness: Identities, Vulnerabilities and Precarities

Although there are many widely perceived attractions to living on a small island, island life is not without its challenges. The physical aspects of these are well rehearsed. The psychological ones, less so. Drawing on social psychological theories, we analyse the experience of living on small islands, with a focus on two small British islands. Data were collected through ethnographic fieldwork, involving observations and interviews with small island inhabitants. We found a range of factors impacting them psychologically, including several that suggest identity and social identity theories may provide a useful psychological lens for understanding these communities. There were also other psychological features identified that suggest a self-perception of vulnerability. These were reflected in concerns around the precarity of employment, but also evident in islanders’ discourses around health (both physical and mental). These findings echo previous authors’ assertions concerning the existence of an ‘island psychology’ evident in the experiences of island residents, but also contribute to discussions around its origins and mechanisms of influence - which we argue have been hitherto, relatively atheoretical. Importantly, a better understanding of island experience, and the relevant theoretical frameworks, can assist in supporting the wellbeing of islanders and the sustainability of their communities.

An inter-ethnic interpretation of tourism conflicts and collaboration

Inter-ethnic conflicts are commonplace worldwide, but current tourism conflict theories seldom examine disputes within a host community of diverse ethnicities. Using concepts from inter-group threat theory (ITT), contact hypothesis in social psychology and power theories, a conceptual schema for comprehending the dynamics of inter-ethnic conflicts and collaboration in tourism destinations is proposed. An ethnographic case study then follows the discussion in Malaysia's Taman Negara National Park, where I make use of the conceptual schema to analyze how the three local ethnic groups (Malays, Malaysian Chinese, and Orangasli Batek) were negotiating various types of threats, as well as the ‘conditions’ leading to inter-group conflicts. Further supported by Barth's ethnic boundary theory, the evolution of ethnic boundaries and collaborative mechanisms in a three-group situation is also evaluated. The conceptual schema and findings from Malaysia have important implications for researchers and management advice for practitioners dealing with multi-ethnic host communities in destinations worldwide.

Effects of a community-based, multi-level family planning intervention on theoretically grounded intermediate outcomes for couples in rural Uganda: Results from a mixed methods pilot evaluation.

This study tested the theoretically grounded conceptual model of a multi-level intervention, Family Health = Family Wealth (FH = FW), by examining FH = FW's effect on intermediate outcomes among couples in rural Uganda. FH = FW is grounded in the social-ecological model and the social psychological theory of transformative communication. A pilot quasi-experimental controlled trial. Two matched clusters (communities) were randomly allocated to receive the FH = FW intervention or an attention/time-matched water, sanitation and hygiene intervention (N = 140, 35 couples per arm). Quantitative outcomes were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires at baseline, 7-months and 10-months follow-up. Focus group discussions (n = 39) and semi-structured interviews (n = 27) were conducted with subsets of FH = FW participants after data collection. Generalized estimated equations tested intervention effects on quantitative outcomes, and qualitative data were analysed through thematic analysis-these data were mixed and are presented by level of the social-ecological model. The findings demonstrated an intervention effect on family planning determinants across social-ecological levels. Improved individual-level family planning knowledge, attitudes and intentions, and reduced inequitable gender attitudes, were observed in intervention versus comparator, corroborated by the qualitative findings. Interpersonal-level changes included improved communication, shared decision-making and equitable relationship dynamics. At the community level, FH = FW increased perceived acceptance of family planning among others (norms), and the qualitative findings highlighted how FH = FW's transformative communication approach reshaped definitions of a successful family to better align with family planning. This mixed methods pilot evaluation supports FH = FW's theoretically grounded conceptual model and ability to affect multi-level drivers of a high unmet need for family planning.

COVID-19 masks and limited number of shoppers as determinants of shop assistants' (dis)honesty.

Previous laboratory and field studies have demonstrated that the dishonesty of commercial transaction participants may depend on subtle cues. In this field study conducted on a sample of 216 shop assistants in Poland, we planned to demonstrate that coronavirus disease-related factors could result in an increased propensity for dishonesty among shop assistants. This investigation is unique in its application of social psychological theories to illuminate hitherto unexplored side effects of combating the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Our supposition was that the potential detriment encountered by individuals wearing solid surgical masks would involve being viewed as more abstract and remote, thereby heightening the likelihood of being deceived by a vendor. Moreover, we examined the potential relationship between the limited number of customers in retail establishments (related to pandemic restrictions) and the unscrupulous practices of sellers-specifically the act of retaining change. The effect of wearing masks was statistically non-significant, whereas the impact of other customers' absence was significant. Moreover, unexpected results related to transaction parties' genders were obtained, showing that shop assistants tended to be more honest when dealing with customers of the same gender. The results are discussed in the context of empathy toward masked customers, self-awareness theory, social norms of honesty, and identification with gender groups.