Papers by Catarina L. Carvalho
Revista de psicología, Jul 21, 2021
Pro-independence movements in the Basque Country and in Catalonia have old historical roots. Wher... more Pro-independence movements in the Basque Country and in Catalonia have old historical roots. Whereas in Catalonia the pro-independence social mobilization has recently gained energy, in the Basque Country it seems less prominent nowadays. We explore the psychosocial predictors associated with individuals' involvement in collective efforts towards independence in both these contexts. We distributed an online questionnaire among Basque (n=132) and Catalonian (n=152) independence supporters. Among the Basque independence supporters, pro-independence collective action tendencies were negatively predicted by perceived social status and identification with Spain, and positively predicted by patriotism and collective efficacy. Among the pro-independence Catalonians, only identification with Catalonia and collective efficacy beliefs predicted pro-independence collective action tendencies. These results are discussed considering historical, political, and socioeconomic factors.
Revista de Psicología
Pro-independence movements in the Basque Country and in Catalonia have old historical roots. Wher... more Pro-independence movements in the Basque Country and in Catalonia have old historical roots. Whereas in Catalonia the pro-independence social mobilization has recently gained energy, in the Basque Country it seems less prominent nowadays. We explore the psychosocial predictors associated with individuals’ involvement in collective efforts towards independence in both these contexts. We distributed an online questionnaire among Basque (n=132) and Catalonian (n=152) independence supporters. Among the Basque independence supporters, pro-independence collective action tendencies were negatively predicted by perceived social status and identification with Spain, and positively predicted by patriotism and collective efficacy. Among the pro-independence Catalonians, only identification with Catalonia and collective efficacy beliefs predicted pro-independence collective action tendencies. These results are discussed considering historical, political, and socioeconomic factors.
International Journal of Social Psychology
Frontiers in Psychology, 2020
8 March (8M), now known as International Women’s Day, is a day for feminist claims where demonstr... more 8 March (8M), now known as International Women’s Day, is a day for feminist claims where demonstrations are organized in over 150 countries, with the participation of millions of women all around the world. These demonstrations can be viewed as collective rituals and thus focus attention on the processes that facilitate different psychosocial effects. This work aims to explore the mechanisms (i.e., behavioral and attentional synchrony, perceived emotional synchrony, and positive and transcendent emotions) involved in participation in the demonstrations of 8 March 2020, collective and ritualized feminist actions, and their correlates associated with personal well-being (i.e., affective well-being and beliefs of personal growth) and collective well-being (i.e., social integration variables: situated identity, solidarity and fusion), collective efficacy and collective growth, and behavioral intention to support the fight for women’s rights. To this end, a cross-cultural study was condu...
Escritos de Psicología - Psychological Writings, 2021
La actual pandemia de la COVID-19 ha supuesto un marcado incremento de las brechas sociales preex... more La actual pandemia de la COVID-19 ha supuesto un marcado incremento de las brechas sociales preexistentes. En esta investigación analizamos las relaciones de diferentes facetas de clase social con el bienestar y afectividad general a lo largo de un total de 8 países de la región cultural iberoamericana. Asimismo, también pusimos a prueba el potencial rol mediador del riesgo percibido relativo a la COVID-19 y la eficacia colectiva percibida. Los resultados obtenidos (a) revelaron que una clase social más baja se relacionó con un menor bienestar y afecto positivo, y un mayor afecto negativo; (b) confirmaron que la clase social subjetiva constituye un mejor predictor del bienestar y afectividad general que la clase social objetiva (i.e., nivel educativo); y (c) mostraron que los efectos de la clase social subjetiva en el bienestar/afectividad general se daban de forma indirecta a través del riesgo percibido y la eficacia colectiva. Estos hallazgos confirman la existencia de diferencias...
Frontiers in Psychology, 2021
We propose that low-status group members' support for group-based hierarchy and inequality (i... more We propose that low-status group members' support for group-based hierarchy and inequality (i.e., social dominance orientation; SDO) may represent an ideological strategy to guarantee the legitimacy of future ingroup status-enhancement. Specifically, we argue that, under unstable social structure conditions, SDO serves as an ideological justification for collective action tendencies aimed at competing for a higher status. In such context, SDO should be positively related with actions aimed to favor the ingroup (i.e., collective actions) by increasing group members' motivation to engage in direct competition with a relevant higher-status outgroup. We conducted two studies under highly competitive and unstable social structure contexts using real life groups. In Study 1 (N = 77), we induced Low vs. High Ingroup (University) Status and in Study 2 (N = 220) we used competing sports groups. Overall, results showed that, among members of low-status groups, SDO consistently increas...
This study analyses the range and content of Social Representations (SSRRs) about the COVID-19 pa... more This study analyses the range and content of Social Representations (SSRRs) about the COVID-19 pandemic in 21 geographical zones from 17 countries of the Americas, Europe and Asia (N = 4430). Following the theoretical framework of Social Representations Theory, as well as psychosocial consequences of pandemics and crises, we evaluate the perceptions of severity and risks, the agreement with different SSRRs, and participants’ Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) and agreement with Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA). Different sets of beliefs as SSRRs are discussed and their prevalence and association with contextual variables (e.g., new contagions and deaths during data collection). Results show that severity and risk perceptions were associated with different SSRRs of the pandemics. In specific, to SSRRs focusing on Emerging Externalizing zoonotic and ecological factors, to Polemic Conspiracies, a view of Elite and Masses Villains, as well as Personal Responsibility in the pandemic. Fu...
Social Psychological Bulletin, 2021
We discuss the idea that competition-based motives boost low-status group members’ support for gr... more We discuss the idea that competition-based motives boost low-status group members’ support for group-based hierarchy and inequality. Specifically, the more low-status group members feel motivated to compete with a relevant high-status outgroup, based on the belief that existing status positions may be reversed, the more they will defend status differentials (i.e., high social dominance orientation; SDO). Using minimal groups (N = 113), we manipulated ingroup (low vs. high) status, and primed unstable status positions to all participants. As expected, we found that SDO positively mediates the relation between ingroup identification and collective action, when ingroup’s status is perceived to be low and status positions are perceived as highly unstable. We discuss the implications of considering situational and contextual factors to better understand individuals’ support for group-based hierarchies and inequality, and the advantages of considering ideological processes in predicting c...
PLOS ONE, 2021
On the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the overcrowding in prisons led to efforts to decarcerate ... more On the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the overcrowding in prisons led to efforts to decarcerate in order to prevent and control outbreaks in prisons. This study analyses how public support for such exceptional measures are determined by cognitive and ideological factors known to create and maintain racial biases in the criminal system. Participants were asked to express their level of agreement with the early-release of hypothetical prisoners. Results showed participants to be less favourable to the early-release of Black compared to White prisoners, when they had committed a stereotypically Black crime. As expected, the congruency between the crime stereotypicality and the colour of the prisoner’s skin did not emerge for White prisoners. Moreover, the difference between the agreement with the release of the Black vs. the White prisoner when both committed a stereotypically Black crime was higher as the level of endorsement of Meritocracy increased. Contrastingly, Anti-egalitariani...
Frontiers in Psychology, 2020
The Western hemisphere has witnessed recent increased immigration flows generating social and pol... more The Western hemisphere has witnessed recent increased immigration flows generating social and political debate across Europe. In one view, migration flows represent an opportunity to construct a diverse social cohesion. In another view, migration flows are perceived as a threat to existent national cultures. This view is held by political nationalisms and right-wing populist forces installed in the majority of EU countries' parliaments, accentuating discrimination against immigrants and residents in Europe. We theorize that European identity predicts positive attitudes toward immigrants (prosocial behavior and support for inclusive policies), whereas national identity's predictions of attitudes toward immigrants' inclusion depends on participants' political tendency. Moreover, we test the mediation effect of positive (humanitarian concerns and economic benefit) and negative (jobs scarcity, cultural deterioration, and invasion) arguments used in political discourses regarding immigrants' inclusion on the relation between national and European identities and attitudes toward immigrants' inclusion. Results (Portuguese sample, N = 176) show that national identity predicts negative attitudes toward immigrants' inclusion, but only among right-wing individuals. Among left-wing individuals, national identity predicts less contestation to immigrant's inclusion sustained by humanitarian concerns. Interestingly, European identification weakened right-wing individuals' adherence to discriminatory arguments and increased perceived economic contribution that immigrants bring to society, increasing agreement with prosocial behavior and immigrants' inclusion. We discuss that European identity, sustained in humanitarian values and economic benefit, may stimulate a stronger multicultural social cohesion, intergroup trust, and social wellbeing based on democratic values, social justice, and equality, and on the respect for human dignity.
The Journal of Social Psychology, 2020
Literature has shown that citizens' mistrust in national institutions has a negative impact on th... more Literature has shown that citizens' mistrust in national institutions has a negative impact on their involvement with, and commitment to, their national group. We examine the idea that citizenship efficacy beliefs may revert this process. We propose that facing institutional inefficacy to exert social control, beliefs that civic participation is effective, strengthens individuals' commitment to the national group. Participants (N = 176) were informed that national institutions were effective (vs. ineffective) in reacting to white-collar crime, and that citizens' civic/political participation had an effective (vs. ineffective) impact on government's decisions, the political system and their nation's future. Results suggest that citizenship efficacy beliefs are crucial to counteract or even revert citizens' disinvestment in the national group caused by the perception that the social control system is ineffective. We discuss the results in light of the theoretical and empirical framework of social psychology of citizenship and subjective group dynamics theory.
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Papers by Catarina L. Carvalho