Articles tagged with Social Attitudes
A study by SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities found that people become more sensitive to feelings of disgust when they perceive their lives as being in danger. As a result, they tend to avoid foreigners, which is linked to an evolutionary response known as the behavioral immune system.
A new study by University of Utah researchers found that energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments had limited impact on reducing CO2 emissions. However, policies aimed at improving energy efficiency had no effect, while investment in renewable energy sources led to increased levels of CO2 emissions in the residen...
A new study reveals a strong connection between infection rates and strains of authoritarianism in public attitudes and politics. The research found that the more infectious US cities and states had more authoritarian-leaning citizens, with correlations between higher disease rates and conservative voting patterns.
Researchers found that advocating for a public health position while also encouraging mindfulness helped participants comply with guidelines and sought out vaccination appointments. The study aimed to address the issue of inconsistent behavior among those who already agree with vaccines being good, but find excuses to not get vaccinated.
A study found that people who feel their sense of autonomy is unmet by government incentives like vaccine passports are less likely to take the COVID-19 vaccine. The research highlights that public health incentives might affect people's vaccination decisions in unintended ways, potentially undermining herd immunity.
The article examines how higher education has shaped state-building and political economies since WWII. Researchers propose a four-point model and categorize state attitudes towards education into three categories: national asset, citizen's right, and commodity.
Researchers found a positive link between online influence and geographical proximity, with followers more likely to heed an influencer's recommendation when they live closer. This study suggests that local influencers may have a leg up in the influence game due to their proximal connections.
A new study found that the public generally opposes repressive policing of protesters, but certain tactics by protesters increase fear and support for police repression. The goals of protests also impact support for police repression, with racially resentful individuals more supportive of repression.
Researchers found that candidates' pro-gun messages and NRA funding influence voters' evaluations, with racial resentment moderating the effects. Voters who own guns or are racially resentful were more likely to support candidates with similar views, while those low in racial resentment preferred pro-gun control candidates.
A new study reveals a deepening geographical fracture in European societies, with rural areas showing lower trust in politics but higher voting rates. The research suggests that mainstream politicians must address feelings of disconnection from politics and provide economic opportunities to re-engage residents of small towns and villages.
A study found that seating students next to each other boosted their tendency to become friends, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or educational achievement. The number of friendships increased more for similar versus dissimilar pairs of students, with gender being the main driver of this pattern.
A new survey study links belief in social Darwinism with dysfunctional psychological characteristics such as exploitative attitudes, hostility and low self-esteem. Social Darwinists tend to admire strength and power despite having a fragile self-image.
A Duke University study found that combining risk data with an imagination exercise helps participants make more realistic decisions about their own risky behaviors. The intervention, now integrated into a publicly accessible data dashboard, aims to improve public health decisions during the pandemic.
A new study published in the Social Bulletin of Psychology found that right-wing authoritarianism is more closely tied to how people acquire positive attitudes than changing them. The researchers suggest that individuals with RWA tend to be more sensitive to negative information, leading them to stick to positive information and avoid ...
A new Polish study examines why people refuse vaccination, finding that generalized negative attitudes towards vaccines and confirmation bias play a significant role. Vaccine deniers often attribute negative symptoms to vaccines despite missing evidence of correlation.
Studies investigate how ideological differences impact attitudes towards diverse community features and what 'diversity' means to conservatives and liberals. Researchers find that demographics, viewpoints, and consumer features are perceived as relevant aspects of diversity.
A new study by UC Berkeley Haas School of Business researchers found that white participants who claim to be non-prejudiced often convey the opposite message through their language. The study suggests that explicit egalitarianism can blind people to underlying prejudice and perpetuate prejudicial attitudes.
A study found that counterfeit dominance negatively impacts Anglo-American consumers' perceptions of authentic luxury fashion brands, while having little effect on Asian consumers. This is due to cultural differences in social-adjustive attitudes, with Anglo-Americans relying more on outgroups and Asians on ingroups.
A new study from Washington State University found that workplace cultures adopting COVID-19 prevention measures led to fewer employees showing up to work and public places with symptoms. This effect was observed both inside and outside of work, and remote workers were also influenced by their employers' climate.
A study found that people's level of persuasion is not directly affected by the number of views a YouTube video has. Rather, viewers' perception of the message as truthful and believable is key. Participants rated messages as more persuasive when they felt they were believable and trustworthy.
A recent study published in Social Influence found that when people are explicitly told they are free to accept or reject propagandistic claims, their likelihood of choosing a moderate view increases. This approach, based on self-determination theory and psychological reactance theory, aims to disrupt the radicalization process among v...
A new study found that individuals with negative attitudes towards vaccines and conspiracy suspicions are more likely to be hesitant about getting vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. The research suggests that communication strategies must account for the polarising nature of conspiracy theories to increase vaccine compliance.
New research by the University of Kent and SWPS University reveals that national narcissists are more likely to support greenwashing campaigns than genuine pro-environmental actions. This phenomenon is linked to a strong need to validate a grandiose ingroup image, rather than actual environmental concern.
This study found that high levels of social support for mothers of patients with eating disorders are associated with lower scores for loneliness and depression. However, there was no significant impact on patient symptoms. The findings suggest that social support can help prevent caregiver depression and loneliness in this population.
A recent study by Northwestern University used AI to analyze 92 million COVID-19-related tweets and found that people's biases are magnified when reading tweets about the virus, with retweets increasing their belief in false information.
A new study maps the psychological signatures of people predisposed to holding extreme social, political or religious attitudes, including nationalist fervor. Cognitive traits such as poorer working memory, slower perceptual strategies, and impulsivity are linked to endorsement of violence in support of an ideological group.
A new study found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are more likely to experience mental health conditions and report alcohol and drug misuse than heterosexuals. The research analyzed data from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys and found no improvement in disparities between 2007 and 2014.
A recent study by Anne-Marie Elbe and her team of researchers found that a task-oriented training climate correlated positively with young players' sense of inclusion in football teams. In contrast, a performance-oriented motivational climate was negatively associated with feelings of inclusion.
A study by University of Exeter researcher Dr. Patrick English found that minority candidates are less likely to be fielded in areas with lower tolerance for diversity. Only 65 out of 650 potential BAME MPs needed to reflect the UK's minority-ethnic population, highlighting a systemic barrier to representation.
A survey of 1,500 UK adults found that 64% would be likely to have a COVID-19 vaccination. The study identified factors associated with likelihood of acceptance, including previous flu vaccination and positive vaccination beliefs.
Project Man in Space, initiated by social psychologist Donald Michael in 1955, aimed to capture public opinion on space exploration. The program's research revealed strong interest in Sputnik and influenced public support for new initiatives, but also perpetuated utopian narratives that obscured military applications.
A survey of 340 UK residents found that positive social interactions with Chinese people reduced support for discriminatory policies. People with negative experiences were more likely to be fearful and supportive of anti-Chinese measures.
A survey of over 6,000 US and UK adults found that attitudes towards obesity are changing, with more Americans viewing it as a medical problem. In contrast, nearly one-third of UK respondents still blame people with obesity for their condition.
Researchers propose a simplification in measuring public attitudes towards people with autism, using a single 'thermometer scale' survey. They found that non-autistic students rated autistic people relatively favourably, averaging 71/100, but there is still a long way to go in understanding and changing negative attitudes.
Researchers at University at Buffalo suggest that certain people tend to be more confident in their attitudes across various issues, while others are more uncertain. This dispositional attitude certainty is linked to traits like self-esteem and can predict behavior, including choices made on novel items.
Biased perceptions of hate crimes are linked to sympathies with supremacist groups and societal grievances, according to a study. Prejudice against minority groups influences perception of the motivations behind mass shootings.
A new study from University of Wisconsin-Madison found that showing people how their peers feel about diversity can increase tolerance, reduce exclusion, and close racial achievement gaps. The intervention, which used social marketing strategies, resulted in enhanced sense of belonging among marginalized groups and reduced intergroup a...
Researchers analyzed over 11,000 Twitter posts to understand patient attitudes towards statins, finding that people perceive themselves as protected from harm while taking preventative medications. This study may inform public health messages and improve communication between healthcare professionals and patients.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that boys' poor reading skills in adolescence, combined with social attitudes about women attending college, can explain why fewer men than women enroll in higher education. The research analyzed data from over 400,000 boys and girls across 18 countries.
The study found that the expansion of the US postal network from 1800 to 1890 positively associated with social and nonprofit organizations, while negatively associated with arrests and mortality. Local newspapers also emerged during this period, explaining the continued effect of state investment on social capital.
University of Oregon researchers conclude that many Americans can be classified as dehumanizers, with views on social harms predicting attitudes towards immigrants. The study found that those who endorse harsh policies on gun rights and the death penalty are more likely to dehumanize immigrants.
A global study found that attitudes towards gay men and lesbian women vary greatly across countries, with gay men consistently rated more negatively. The researchers identified three exceptions where negative attitudes were not correlated with gender norms, including China, India, and South Korea.
Researchers analyzed tweets from 1,239 Republicans and Democrats to find no evidence that Russian trolls significantly influenced ideology or attitudes. The study suggests IRA accounts may not have polarized the US public due to interacting with highly polarized individuals.
A team from the University of Rochester found that non-monogamous relationships succeed when all parties are comfortable with each other. Monogamous and consensual non-monogamous groups reported high levels of functioning in their relationships, while partially open and one-sided non-monogamous groups showed lower levels of functioning.
A study by University of Tokyo researchers found that parental gender role attitudes and negative images of STEM fields contribute to Japanese girls' reduced university participation. Parents who support gender equality can encourage girls to pursue STEM fields.
A survey of European citizens found a majority (58%) hold positive attitudes towards homelessness, while 30% have negative views. Positive attitudes were more common among urban residents and those who support homeless individuals.
New research from the University of Georgia finds that preschool children develop biases towards entire groups after being exposed to biased nonverbal signals. The study suggests that this process can occur as early as early childhood, prior to first grade, and may be an important mechanism for transmitting group biases within culture.
A recent study published in Psychological Science found that a person's premarital views on uncommitted sex can negatively impact their marriage. Research suggests that individuals with unrestricted sociosexual behaviors and attitudes prior to marriage are more likely to experience marital dissatisfaction and dissolution.
A new study by New York University researchers finds that the presence of refugees in local communities has no effect on residents' voting behavior or attitudes towards immigration. Despite widespread anti-immigrant sentiments after 2015, attitudes and voting patterns remain unchanged.
A Northwestern University study found that white parents with higher racial bias awareness are more likely to discuss race with their children, promoting increased color consciousness and decreased color blindness. This could have implications for interventions to reduce racial biases in childhood.
A Northwestern University study found that people acquire attitudes toward individuals based on nonverbal signals, including implicit biases. The researchers discovered that participants attributed their negative attitudes to the target's behavior rather than the observer's actions, highlighting the importance of considering the role o...
Despite progress, women's attitudes toward equality with men have shown no signs of improvement over the last four decades. The study found that highly educated white people who work long hours are more likely to hold negative attitudes toward women's work.
The use of gender-neutral pronouns is associated with favorable views about the roles of nonmales in public life. Researchers found that participants who used gender-neutral pronouns were less likely to assign a male name to a subsequent character, suggesting a reduction in mental bias.
A recent study published in Scientific Reports found that humans can empathize with robots by experiencing life from their perspective. By simulating the experience of being a robot, participants showed a friendlier attitude towards them and perceived them as socially closer.
A Rutgers study found that terminally ill patients who request doctors make decisions often receive more aggressive final treatments, even if it lessens their quality of life. The research suggests that physicians' attitudes and patients' beliefs play a significant role in end-of-life care decisions.
A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that people's existing knowledge about genetically modified food is a significant determining factor of their attitudes towards it. Learning the underlying science leads to more positive attitudes, a greater willingness to eat them, and a lowered perception of GM...
Passion in a relationship is crucial for intercourse frequency, according to a study by Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Women's attitudes to casual sex also play a major role, with those who differentiate between sex and relational aspects being more willing to compromise.
A new study published in the Journal of Mental Health found that people are almost twice as likely to correctly identify signs of postnatal depression in women than in men. The research involved 406 British adults and found that participants were less likely to say there was something wrong with the male, compared to the female.
A new international study by Monash University and Parisien Laboratory of Social Psychology found a positive link between alcohol sponsorship and attitudes, as well as exposure to specific brands. The research suggests that incidental exposure to alcohol marketing messages influences participants' drinking attitudes.
A study found that celebrity fat-shaming events increased women's implicit negative weight-related attitudes, with more notorious incidents producing greater spikes. The research suggests that cultural emphasis on the thin ideal contributes to eating disorders, particularly among young women.