1,721,153 research outputs found
Has COVID-19 Threatened Relational Identity? Risk Representation, Identity Threats, and Perceived Health during Quarantine
No full textBased on the Identity Process Theory, this study wondered whether COVID-19 risk representation threatened relational identity and health perception. A sample of 976 Italian university students (Mage = 24.2; females: 73.8%) and a sample of 204 university staff members (Mage = 50.86; females: 57.4%) completed an online survey during the 1st phase of COVID-19. The results confirmed that in both samples the COVID-19 risk representation has been related to participants’ identity, both activating identity protection strategies and threatening their relational identity, i.e., the identity they derived from family and friendship relationships. Furthermore, identity protection mediated the relation between risk representation and health perception, suggesting that to feel even more part of their family and friend groups can protect participants from feeling unhealthy
Exploring intercultural sensitivity in bicultural and multicultural Reddit users: The role of both identity (or individual) and contextual (or social) factors
No full textThe Internet has revolutionized communication, enabling interactions between individuals from diverse cultures. This is especially true for social media which encourages participation in millions of online communities on a wide range of topics, such as Reddit. Research has largely neglected the intricate relationship between new media and intercultural issues. This study aims to address this gap by exploring the use experience of bicultural and multicultural individuals on Reddit and investigating the impact of identity-level (identity categorization, compartmentalization, and integration) and contextual-level (identification with the online network, online intergroup contact frequency and quality) factors on intercultural sensitivity. A sample of 241 bicultural (n = 90) and multicultural (n = 151) Reddit users (females = 100, 41.49%) participated in the study. Hierarchical regression results showed that both identity-level and contextual-level factors significantly contributed to intercultural sensitivity. Specifically, on the identity-level, integration was positively related to intercultural sensitivity, while compartmentalization was negatively associated with it. Additionally, on the contextual-level, identification with the online network and high-quality online intergroup contact were associated with greater intercultural sensitivity. This research highlights the importance of understanding how intercultural dynamics unfold within social media platforms and provides insights for fostering intercultural sensitivity in online communities
Interactive practices between professionals and forced migrants inside an Italian reception association
No full textThe study has focused on the interactive practices between professionals and forced migrants into a NGO for the welcome of asylum seekers and refugees. Specifically, it was aimed to collect the different relational configurations that emerged from the interaction between professionals’ queries and forced migrants’ replies in 18 consultations divided in: legal consultations (N = 6), health consultations (N = 6) and social consultations (N = 6). Consultations have been audio-recorded and literally transcribed. Data were analyzed using the sequential analysis of interactions and by coding sequences ‒ professionals’ queries and forced migrants’ replies ‒ through a list of communicative behaviors adapted from the therapeutic model of Grasso and coworkers (2004). Regardless of the type of consultation, the results showed some concordat patterns between the practices of the professionals and the communicative behaviors of the forced migrants. These patterns showed that when the professionals used interactive modes for leading forced migrants along the bureaucratic paths imposed by the asylum system, forced migrants showed a more passive – collaborative or acquiescent ‒ profile. However, when the professionals proposed some listening and negotiating spaces, forced migrants assumed a more active – even if sometimes ambiguous ‒ role, demonstrating the need to be heard not only as a “user” but also as a person
Gender Binary Thêmata in Social Representations of Sexual Minorities: A Ten Year Scoping Review
No full textWithin the frame of Social Representations Theory, gender binarism and heteronormativity can be considered as thêmata that make sexual minorities emerge as a norm-challenging social object. Recent social change in the acceptance and regulation of LGBT identities and relationships suggests some kind of transformation in the representations of sexual minorities in order to make these social objects more familiar and acceptable. This scoping review analyzes research articles on social representations of sexual minorities and of gender-related phenomena in sexual minority populations from the last 10 years. The aim of the review is investigating the social representations of gender in sexual minorities in order to understand to what extent these representations might be normalized within the gender binary thêma, and to what extent they might be rather transforming the gender frame in order to reduce its binary and heteronormative frame. After searching for scientific contributions in the 5 major social science data bases, 97 articles were screened and 28 were included in the review. Results suggest mostly that social representations of sexual minorities are still being familiarized within a gender-binary frame. Three different semantic processes of familiarization are discussed: gender-compartmentalization, dehumanization, and subjectification. The latter one seems to be the most relevant in the process of social acceptance of the LGBT population
Contact and integration. A literature review about asylum seekers and refugees receiving programmes
No full textNowadays, there is an increase in the number of forced migrants in the world. Despite the attempts by supranational institutions to find cooperative solutions among receiving countries, there are still fragmented approaches and confusion about how to better manage the phenomenon, with significant consequences in the acculturation processes. The purpose of this literature review is to analyze how scholars have studied asylum seekers or refugees receiving practices in western countries, regarding the nature of contact experiences between locals and migrants, and their outcomes as for social and economic inclusion, increased wellbeing, socio-cultural adaptation, and reduction of discrimination. Thirty five articles met the inclusion criteria. The results showed the importance of personal contact experiences in facilitating the social and economic inclusion of migrants, as well as the reduction of prejudice and discrimination in both directions. Moreover, overly structured programmes or paternalistic attitudes towards migrants were found to hinder integration processes, emphasizing the need to pay attention to migrant agency. The wide variety of approaches of the considered studies did not allow a systematic comparison between results. Nevertheless, this review highlights that receiving practice locally rooted fostered integration and positive intercultural relations, suggesting researchers to further investigate this kind of experiences. Findings have also implications for policy makers
Social networks, acculturation strategies and refugees' wellbeing in Italy
No full textThe literature on the refugee experience has often highlighted how the nonvoluntary nature of the migration process, the traumatic experiences and the resources loss, expose migrants to acculturative stress (Rossi & Mancini, 2016). Acculturative stress promotes attitudes of separation or marginality (Sem & Berry, 2010), which in turn contribute to generating psychological disease and poor socio-cultural adaptation. However, various studies have shown that this acculturative stress in related to several factors and, among these, also on the personal, social and contextual resources to which forced migrants can draw once they arrive in the host context (Rossi, 2018). Focusing on social resources, this study analyzed how the frequency of contacts, the cultural heterogeneity and the emotional closeness of the social network in the host country is related both to the acculturation attitudes and the to the psychological well-being of forced migrants in Italy. A semi-structured interview composed of Name generator, Acculturation Attitudes Scale and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale were administered to a sample of 160 forced migrants (refugees = 111; Males = 123, Mage = 29.96). The path analysis showed that, by promoting integration, it was above all cultural heterogeneity and the emotional closeness of the social network that increased the migrants' psychological well-being
A constructivist point of view on intergroup relations Online intergroup contact, Dialogical Self and prejudice reduction
No full textScholars interested in studying the effects of online intergroup contact on reducing prejudice are increasing. However, there is still a lack of evidence on the implications of the Self. The present study aims to fill this gap, considering the Dialogical Self as theoretical framework. It explored which clusters of I-Positions emerged during online intergroup dialogue, and whether and to what extent these clusters related with contact quality and prejudice. Data was collected from eight undergraduate students (females: 4; Mage= 23.63, SDage= 4.00), from majority (i.e., Italians; n = 4) and minority (i.e., non-Italians; n = 4). A pre- and postdialogue procedure was administered. Results suggested the existence of four clusters with different levels of inclusiveness - i.e., personal, cultural, social and human. Furthermore, results suggested the existence of different trends based on individuals' membership to the majority or the minority group. Specifically, while personal and cultural I-Positions were negatively related with prejudice in majority group, social and human I-Positions were positively related with prejudice in minority one. Despite their explorative nature, these results should be useful to take a step forward in understanding the identity processes activated during intergroup dialogue
«Couples in trouble» because of social networks? A systematic review
No full textEmpirical studies reveal Social Network Sites (SNS) have multiple applications related to intimate relationships. Through SNS, people can meet partners, maintain relationships, and portray commitment. Existing evidence includes both positive and negative outcomes for offline Romantic Relationships (oRRs). Nevertheless, unification and coherent frameworks on the relationship between SNSs' use and quality of oRR and factors influencing these relationships have not been provided. This was the aim of this systematic literature review that analysed a corpus of 65 peer-reviewed articles. Results from the study uncovered positive and negative outcomes of SNS on the quality of oRR in relation to online behaviour that is at least partially guided - i.e., moderated - by individual differences of the people involved, especially by the individual's attachment style
Reazioni ad una procedura di valutazione in ambito universitario: autostima e autoefficacia
No full textLa presente ricerca si occupa delle reazioni che hanno gli studenti a seguito di una prova di esame; sono stati indagati i possibili effetti dell’esito di una procedura di valutazione sull’autostima e sulla autoefficacia in 94 studenti universitari. Il disegno della ricerca prevede cinque fasi: a) somministrazione di un questionario inerente le percezioni di autostima (globale e specifica), autoefficacia (globale e riferita al compito di sostendere esami) e le aspettative di voto; b) effettuazione dell’esame tramite compito scritto; c) somministrazione di un questionario sulle aspettative di voto; d) comunicazione del voto e registrazione dell’esame; e) somministrazione del questionario inerente le percezioni di autostima (globale e specifica) ed autoefficacia (globale e riferita al compito di sostendere esami). I risultati indicano che gli studenti che hanno ottenuto un buon esito all’esame, così come quelli che hanno conseguito una votazione più alta rispetto alle loro aspettative, presentano misure più elevate nell’autostima specifica e nell’autoefficacia sia globale che specifica
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