European Review of Social Psychology

Bilali, Rezarta

doi: 10.1080/10463283.2024.2397307pmid: N/A

Narrative intervention has emerged as a promising strategy for violence prevention and reconciliation in contexts of intergroup conflict. In this article, I synthesise the research on fictional narrative interventions disseminated via media and present a model elucidating the pathways of influence on attitudes and behaviours related to intergroup conflict and reconciliation. The article identifies the different psychological mechanisms typically embedded in media-based narrative interventions, such as communication of social norms, role modelling of behaviours, perspective-taking, awareness-raising, and parasocial contact. I discuss how narrative interventions influence intergroup outcomes by shaping social interactions and discussions, and address heterogeneous effects by considering three sets of factors: (1) the combination of theoretical principles embedded in the intervention; (2) intervention design and implementation; and (3) the characteristics of the conflict context. Finally, I consider the benefits of narrative interventions over other forms of intergroup conflict interventions and highlight avenues for future research.

Chinchilla, Juana; Gómez, Ángel

doi: 10.1080/10463283.2024.2429329pmid: N/A

Knowing the pathways that lead individuals to become terrorists and to leave terrorism behind is fundamental to combat violent extremism. However, although the processes related to psychological time are likely critical to understand violent extremism, they have mostly been neglected within the field. This narrative review proposes a conceptual framework of the potential role of psychological time in the study of violent radicalisation, deradicalisation, and disengagement that: (1) highlights the importance of locating violent extremism within a temporal landscape that integrates people’s views about the past, present, and future; (2) discusses the contribution of key processes associated to the construction of personal and collective narrative identity, personal and collective continuity, temporal distance, thoughts about alternative possibilities, and time perspective; (3) relates these processes to specific insights provided by psychosocial models of violent radicalisation, deradicalisation, and disengagement widely recognised within the field of terrorism; and (4) indicates future research opportunities.

Uluğ, Özden Melis; Chayinska, Maria; Schreiber, Julia A.; Taylor, Laura K.

doi: 10.1080/10463283.2024.2396733pmid: N/A

Despite an increase in social psychological research on allyship, less attention has been paid to allyship action in violent intergroup conflict settings. In this contribution, first, we introduce a multi-dimensional typology of allyship action in such settings by differentiating allyship based on the a) actors (i.e. individuals, collectives, and societies), b) targets (i.e. victim- vs perpetrator-focused), and c) types of those actions (i.e. low- vs high-cost action). Second, we mostly draw on examples from our own research programmes and where relevant from global conflicts and previous studies on allyship to show the applicability of the proposed typology. Finally, we discuss theoretical and practical implications, reflect on the limitations of past studies and suggest directions to address research gaps. Our typology contributes to the collective action and intergroup conflict literatures by showing how allyship action has been studied in conflict settings andthe similarities and differences between conflict and non-conflict settings.

Offer, Konstantin; Rahwan, Zoe; Hertwig, Ralph

doi: 10.1080/10463283.2024.2383085pmid: N/A

Power and knowledge are intimately tied in Foucault’s concept of power-knowledge (le savoir-pouvoir). Yet people also try to gain and maintain power by engaging in deliberate ignorance. Defined as the conscious choice not to seek or use information, deliberate ignorance frequently occurs in social hierarchies, where individuals are implicitly or explicitly ranked by power or status along valued social dimensions (e.g. knowledge, skills, or expertise). In this article, we theorise links between power and ignorance by answering the questions of why, when, and with what implications people deliberately ignore information in hierarchies. We conclude that Foucault overlooked the power of not knowing, and that power, knowledge, and ignorance form a trinity in which power in some cases resides in superior knowledge, and in other cases in ignorance.

Kamiloğlu, Roza G.; Sauter, Disa A.

doi: 10.1080/10463283.2024.2418714pmid: N/A

Nonverbal vocalisations are a fundamental part of human life. Here, we use Tinbergen’s ethological framework to examine the functions, ontogenetic trajectories, evolutionary history, and underlying mechanisms of five types of vocalisations: cries, laughter, moans, screams, and sighs. Integrating insights from evolutionary biology and social psychology, we demonstrate how biological functions and social factors shape vocalisations. Tracing the development of vocalisations from infancy to adulthood emphasises the role of innate tendencies, as well as delineating processes of social learning. For each vocalisation type, we map their distinct nature and communicative potential: cries are crucial for survival and caregiving responses; laughter fosters social bonding and group cohesion; moans convey a wide range of internal states from pleasure to discomfort; screams serve as urgent alarms in critical situations; and sighs regulate emotions and signal shifts in emotional states. We conclude that both biological and social factors must be considered to understand nonverbal vocalisations.

Briñol, Pablo; Petty, Richard

doi: 10.1080/10463283.2024.2424146pmid: N/A

Abstract Many strategies designed to facilitate the generation of positive thoughts (focusing on strengths, imagining the best possible self, reflecting on achievements) are effective in making people feel better and increasing their wellbeing. But, the question is why? We review the underlying processes by which these and other positive actions (from smiling, expressing gratitude, being kind, etc.) can operate. In addition to drawing a distinction between relatively low and high thinking processes relevant to primary cognition, the present article introduces for the first time meta-cognitive processes of change as relevant to this domain. By examining thought validation and invalidation mechanisms, we make predictions about the circumstances in which positive and negative thoughts are more or less likely to produce the desired effects. Also, by identifying moderators of validation process and outcomes, we contribute to improving the benefits of many positive variables even further, specifying why, when, and for whom various positive treatments are more likely to work or to backfire.