Papers by Giuseppe Carrus
Frontiers in psychology, 2018
The increasing flow of immigrants in many European countries and the growing presence of children... more The increasing flow of immigrants in many European countries and the growing presence of children from immigrant families in schools makes it relevant to study the development of prejudice in children. Parents play an important role in shaping children's values and their attitudes toward members of other ethnic groups; an intergenerational transmission of prejudice has been found in a number of studies targeting adolescents. The present study aims to investigate the intergenerational transmission of ethnic prejudice in 3- to 9- year-old children and its relations to parenting styles. Parents' blatant and subtle ethnic prejudice and parenting style are measured together with children's explicit and implicit ethnic prejudice in pupils and parents of preschool and primary schools in the region of Rome, Italy (= 318). Results show that parents' subtle prejudice predicts children's implicit prejudice regardless of the parenting style. Findings indicate that children m...
Society & Natural Resources, 2009
... Giuseppe Carrus a * , Francesca Cini b , Marino Bonaiuto b & Alessandra Mauro b pages 607... more ... Giuseppe Carrus a * , Francesca Cini b , Marino Bonaiuto b & Alessandra Mauro b pages 607-624. ... Recent studies pointed out the role of group processes and social identity processes in shaping local residents' opposition to (or support for) protected areas (Bonaiuto et al. ...
Assumptions from the fields of social and environmental psychology are used to
The article presents the main tenets of the UNESCO Programme on Man and Biosphere (MAB), launched... more The article presents the main tenets of the UNESCO Programme on Man and Biosphere (MAB), launched by the United Nations at the beginning of the 1970s. The program aimed at supporting applied research and scientific knowledge for managing natural resources in a rational and sustainable way. The implication of the full ecological perspective, typical of the MAB, for promoting multidisciplinary and integrated approaches in the study of environmental issues is briefly outlined. In particular, the role of the MAB, through the biosphere reserve concept, in supporting the collaboration between natural-biological and socialbehavioral sciences when dealing with biodiversity conservation problems and with urban ecosystems is pointed out. Then, the specific UNESCO-MAB Project on the city of Rome, launched at the end of the 1980s, is briefly presented, together with the recent project of the Department of the Environment of the Rome Municipality to propose Rome's urban and periurban green areas as a new UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve. The results of the main research activities conducted therein are summarized. In particular, the specific research lines of the environmental psychology research group, involved in the MAB-Rome Project for approximately two decades, are presented. These research lines dealt with various aspects of residents' environmental perception and behaviors in the city of Rome. The practical implications of these results are also briefly discussed. AU: Is running title okay? a The research lines presented in this article are part of a broader research project developed in collaboration with the Department of the Environment of the Rome Municipality and with the
Nutrients, Dietary Supplements, and Nutriceuticals, 2010
... New York: Simon & Schuster; 1985. 16. Oswald LR. Cultural swapping: consumpti... more ... New York: Simon & Schuster; 1985. 16. Oswald LR. Cultural swapping: consumption and the ethnogenesis of middle-class haitian immigrants. J Consum Res. 1999;25:30318. 17. ... Milano: McGraw-Hill; 2004. p. 13162. Page 13. 87 7 The Role of Ethnicity in Shapin
Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2008
Two field studies examined the role of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control, anticipate... more Two field studies examined the role of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control, anticipated emotions, past behaviour and desire in the prediction of pro-environmental behavioural intention. The model of goal-directed behaviour (MGB) was applied to predict intentions to use public transportation instead of the private car for going to work (Study 1, N ¼ 180), and to recycle household waste (Study 2, N ¼ 154). Multiple regression and structural equation modeling were used to test the hypotheses in studies 1 and 2, respectively. As expected, results of the two studies indicate that negative anticipated emotions and past behaviour are significant predictors of desire to engage in pro-environmental action. Desire, in turn, positively predicts pro-environmental behavioural intentions. A direct link between past behaviour and intentions was also detected. Implications of the results for the promotion of proenvironmental behaviour are discussed. r
Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 2008
ABSTRACT
Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 2011
The aim of this study was to assess whether different kinds of social norms make a distinct contr... more The aim of this study was to assess whether different kinds of social norms make a distinct contribution and are differently associated to a place-related behavior, such as household waste recycling. The construct of "local norms" is introduced to identify the normative influence that derives from people sharing the same spatial-physical setting. This kind of influence is expected to hold particular relevance when dealing with individual behaviors that have spatially defined collective implications. Participants were 452 residents of various Italian cities, who filled in a questionnaire measuring intentions to recycle, attitudes towards recycling, perceived behavioral control, and 4 kinds of norms stemming from a 2 x 2 combination (i.e., injunctive vs. descriptive, and subjective vs. local norms). Structural equation modelling analyses confirmed the empirical distinction of the 4 kinds of norms, and showed their independent effects on recycling intentions. In particular, descriptive norms (both subjective and local) emerged as powerful predictors of the target proenvironmental behavior, both directly and indirectly through their influence on perceived behavioral control. The implications of the distinction among different kinds of social norms and their relationship with the other dimensions are discussed.
Environment and Behavior, 2005
Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 2012
Purpose -Reputation is conceptualised as the believed effects that any social agent (ranging from... more Purpose -Reputation is conceptualised as the believed effects that any social agent (ranging from a person to a company to a country) can have. Food reputation is beliefs about the effects of food on its consumers. On the basis of a multidimensional construct for food reputation derived from qualitative and correlational studies, this paper aims to test four hypotheses about food reputation dimensions' effects on consumers' food choices. Design/methodology/approach -A multi-attribute, multi-step choice experiment was carried out using a "phased narrowing" procedure. The procedure is based on eight product choices, using four reputation dimensions as manipulated attributes (duration, identity-territoriality, social and environmental responsibility, psycho-physiological well-being); this is replicated on one drink and one food product. Findings -A pilot study (n ¼ 50) checked the manipulation of the four reputation dimensions. ANOVA (n ¼ 118) showed the impact of the manipulated reputation features in the food choice process, especially in the final decision-making phase. Originality/value -The results confirm that food reputation features impact consumer choice, detailing the relative importance of different reputation features according to choice phase, product category, and individual characteristics.
… Dietary Supplements, and …, 2011
... New York: Simon & Schuster; 1985. 16. Oswald LR. Cultural swapping: consumpti... more ... New York: Simon & Schuster; 1985. 16. Oswald LR. Cultural swapping: consumption and the ethnogenesis of middle-class haitian immigrants. J Consum Res. 1999;25:30318. 17. ... Milano: McGraw-Hill; 2004. p. 13162. Page 13. 87 7 The Role of Ethnicity in Shapin
Urban Forestry & Urban …, 2006
Urban forests, trees and other green spaces are thought to contribute significantly to certain ps... more Urban forests, trees and other green spaces are thought to contribute significantly to certain psychophysical and social needs of urban dwellers. Recent studies on citizens' perceptions and behaviour toward urban green areas have shown the complexity and the multidimensional character of the man-nature relationship in the city; inhabitants' use of green spaces appears to be motivated by the need for psychological health with relevant social implications. In this paper, we describe two empirical studies that have been independently conducted and recently published by Italian urban foresters and environmental psychologists. By comparing the two studies in terms of approach, materials, methods and results, we seek to find out if urban foresters and environmental psychologists in Italy approach and interpret the psychological and social (P&S) dimensions of urban green spaces differently. Results show that urban foresters have applied substantially different approaches and research methods than environmental psychologists. This can be explained from their different backgrounds and perspectives. We conclude by discussing some basic hints and implications for enhancing the P&S benefits of urban forests through collaborative projects and scientific co-operation between urban foresters and environmental psychologists.
Urban Forestry & Urban …, 2009
In urban environments, green spaces have proven to act as ameliorating factors of some climatic f... more In urban environments, green spaces have proven to act as ameliorating factors of some climatic features related to heat stress, reducing their effects and providing comfortable outdoor settings for people. In addition, green spaces have demonstrated greater capacity, compared with built-up areas, for promoting human health and well-being. In this paper, we present results of a study conducted in Italy and the UK with the general goal to contribute to the theoretical and empirical rationale for linking green spaces with well-being in urban environments. Specifically, the study focused on the physical and psychological benefits and the general well-being associated with the use of green spaces on people when heat stress episodes are more likely to occur. A questionnaire was set up and administered to users of selected green spaces in Italy and the UK (n ¼ 800). Results indicate that longer and frequent visits of green spaces generate significant improvements of the perceived benefits and well-being among users. These results are consistent with the idea that the use of green spaces could alleviate the perception of thermal discomfort during periods of heat stress.
Environment and Behavior, 2011
The ambivalence of attitudes toward urban green areas is investigated through a cross-sectional s... more The ambivalence of attitudes toward urban green areas is investigated through a cross-sectional survey carried out in the city of Rome (N = 500). First, the dimensional structure, and then the personal tendency to hold ambivalent attitudes were analyzed in relation to: (a) broader human values and environmental worldviews (such as biospheric value orientations, ecocentrism vs. anthropocentrism) and (b) specific daily residential experience about urban green areas (perceived quality of neighborhood green areas and self-reported frequency of use of green areas). Results show two separate dimensions (moderately correlated) for attitudes toward urban green areas. The two dimensions are interpreted as measuring appreciation and devaluation of the presence of nature in the city, respectively. They showed different patterns of correlations with the other social-psychological factors considered. Moreover, people with more anthropocentric and apathic worldviews and with egoistic
Appetite, 2009
The prediction of human economic behaviors and consumer's conducts is one of the main topics in e... more The prediction of human economic behaviors and consumer's conducts is one of the main topics in economic psychology. However, the role of individual vs. group processes has often been over-emphasized by the mainstream research tradition in this field. Conversely, within the social psychology tradition, various approaches and models have tried to focus on the mutual interplay between individual and group variables in the formation of consumer's decision (e.g., Dittmar, 1992). In the present paper, we will focus in particular on the role of 2 social psychological variables in the prediction of consumer's choices relating to food, namely, the perception of the norms of one's own ethnic group and the level of identification with one's own ethnic group. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate, in the domain of food purchasing conducts, the interplay between these two variables (that typically pertain to group processes according to the social psychology tradition) on the one and, and variables at a more individual level such as attitudes, subjective norms, control over behavior, and past behavior on the other hand. To this end, a good starting point is represented by a widely used model in the prediction of human deliberate action: the theory of planned behavior (TPB). In the next paragraphs, the main tenets of the TPB will be briefly illustrated. Then the results of a study investigating the role of group and individual variables in the prediction of ethnical food purchasing will be presented and discussed.
The concept of affinity towards diversity (ATD) is introduced and illustrated with two studies on... more The concept of affinity towards diversity (ATD) is introduced and illustrated with two studies on the psychological drivers of pro-sustainability orientation and environmentally friendly behaviors. In light of the importance that biological and social ecological sciences assign to diversity within socio-ecological systems, ATD was conceptualized as an individual predisposition to appreciate the dynamic variety of human-nature interactions in everyday life situations. ATD implies valuing and liking biological and socio-cultural diversity, more than simply being respectful before or accepting differences in the social and physical contexts. Two different samples of Mexicans responded to a series of scales, one of them assessing ATD. The scale exhibited an acceptable level of internal consistency and it also showed construct validity, according to the results of two structural equation models. A first study showed that ATD significantly and negatively covaries with a scale of intolerance, and positively covaries with a measure of environmentally friendly behavior. A second study revealed also that ATD, together with other psychological factors (future orientation, altruism, emotions towards nature), forms the basis for a pro-sustainability orientation which, in turn, predicts environmentally friendly behaviors.
Cognitive …, 2009
Observing the behavior of other people is a fundamental source for the formation of social norms:... more Observing the behavior of other people is a fundamental source for the formation of social norms: in fact the behavior of others in the spatial context proximal to the individual might prime and activate voluntary choices. This idea is deeply rooted in various traditions of psy- ...
Plant …, 2008
The issue of urban sustainability is considered within the context of the metropolis of Rome, the... more The issue of urban sustainability is considered within the context of the metropolis of Rome, the capital of Italy. The aim is pursued through an Urban Biosphere Reserve proposal, drawn up by an interdisciplinary group of experts comprising landscape ecologists, geologists, plant ecologists, zoologists, geographers, city planners and environmental psychologists. The potential applicability of this project on an international level is discussed, with particular focus on its importance as (i) one of the first proposals of an Urban Biosphere Reserve encompassing the whole municipality of a large city, (ii) an original approach to urban ecosystem investigations within the framework of landscape ecology principles, and (iii) a good example of cooperation between scientists and local decision-makers to preserve the cultural and landscape identity in an urban and periurban context.
Journal of Social …, 2007
In the context of sustainable urban development, we discuss the assessment of residential environ... more In the context of sustainable urban development, we discuss the assessment of residential environmental quality and the importance of considering inhabitants' perceptions of natural resources in urban areas. Two series of studies, conducted in Guildford (United Kingdom) and in Rome (Italy), addressed the correspondence, or contrast, between inhabitants' and experts' assessment of urban quality concerning two crucial natural resources: air quality and biodiversity. The Guildford study emphasized the accuracy of the assessment of urban air quality by experts and the public. The Rome study focused on the evaluative criteria employed by scientists and the public in assessing the quality of urban green spaces. The results from both studies shed more, albeit complex, light on the simple conventional wisdom about public versus expert understanding and assessment of environmental quality. Study implications are discussed for the support of programs, methods, and tools for urban development, particularly with regard to effective communication and better structuring of residents' participation in urban environmental decision making.
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Papers by Giuseppe Carrus