Join us for a Research Presentation on Chronic Social Exclusion by Marco Marinucci on Tuesday 28th May, 12-1pm

The Social and Organisational Psychology Research Group is proud of inviting you to join....

WHAT: a research presentation by Marco Marinucci, University of Milan-Bicocca, Italy.

WHEN: Tuesday 28th May, 2019, 12-1pm

WHERE: Keats Reading Room AVLG17, Aviation Building, Callaghan (Video link to Ourimbah Meeting room, Science Offices; zoom linkZoom link:: https://uonewcastle.zoom.us/s/979950681 ZoomID: 979950681

A large body of literature showed that scarce social relationships are associated with poor psychological well-being (Lieberman, 2013), depression (Wong et al., 2016), different health conditions (Aldridge et al., 2018), and increased mortality rates (Rubin, 2017). In a series of studies, we investigated the psychological implications of being connected and disconnected from others in different social groups and contexts. In a primary line of research, we tested the Williams’ theoretical assumption that people exposed to a chronic condition of social exclusion would inescapably enter a stage of psychological resignation (2009). In two study we found that homeless people (N=140) and prisoners (N=138) showed higher level of resignation compared to the general Italian population, and in both the studies social support buffered against the resignation stage. We also found that the association between chronic social exclusion and resignation in asylum seeking immigrants (N=112) was buffered by social connections with the majority group and aggravated by the connections with other minorities, and these results were replicated and extended on a large-scale European survey (N=2206). Finally, we found preliminary longitudinal evidences that chronic social exclusion predicts the development over time of the resignation stage in asylum seeking-immigrants. In a parallel research line, we analysed the sociometric profiles of 15.000 European adolescents in school, showing how the quality of peer social connections and social status affected different psychological and health outcomes. Future research directions in social exclusion and intergroup relations are discussed.

Marco Marinucci is a Ph.D. student at the University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy) advised by Dr. Paolo Riva and he is currently visiting the University of Newcastle under the supervision of Dr. Mark Rubin. Marco’s main research area focuses on social exclusion and social connectedness among disadvantaged social groups. He studies individual, social, and contextual factors that shape individuals’ responses to different conditions of social exclusion.

Pint of Science NEWCASTLE: bringing science out of the lab

Pint of Science - NEWCASTLE 

Pint of Science Australia is a 3-day event in May each year, and a part of an international festival of the same name. It aims to bring science out of the lab and into your local! In 2019 the festival will run over the 20th, 21st and 22nd of May.

This year we have our very own Romany McGuffog and Patrick Skippen from the School of Psychology presenting next Wednesday night 22nd May, 6.30pm at the Happy Wombat. The theme for the night is "Make up your Mind". Dr Elena Prieto from the Faculty of Education & Arts is also presenting. 

For more information and to book your tickets visit: https://pintofscience.com.au/events/newcastle

Working class or sleeping beauty? 

Ms Romany McGuffog 

People from lower social classes tend to have poorer mental and physical health. Through online surveys using higher education students, my research tests sleep as a possible explanation.

Gender and STEM education: one step forward? 

Dr Elena Prieto 

In this presentation I will talk about several initiatives aiming to increase female participation in STEM. I will talk about effectiveness but I will also reflect -with help from the audience- on possible dangers of a push for STEM.

Impulse and inhibition: what’s the link? 

Mr Patrick Skippen 

Topic/description: What leads to impulsive actions: Losing control at the wheel or not paying attention to the road rules? I will discuss what leads to people doing rash, often dangerous behaviours and how well-disciplined, inhibited mindset won’t necessarily stop you from being impulsive. I’ll use my own research into young people’s behaviour and brain activity to describe how we at the tipping point of discovery to understanding the links between how inhibited an individual is, whether this leads to them being more or less impulsive in the real world, and what the brain can tell us about why these two things aren’t as connected as they should be. I’ll finish by offering insight into how the amount of attention that is being payed to the world around us can assist in controlling our impulses.

Cross your fingers for Scott Brown's epic 50km Ultra Trail challenge

Prof Scott Brown from the School of Psychology at the University of Newcastle is on a quest to show that Psychologists can actually perform out of their research laboratory. Scott is leaving his computational models behind for a few days as he is taking the epic challenge of completing the Australia Ultra Trail Marathon, a grueling 50km run in the Blue Mts.

In the photo you can see Scott in his formal race attire, still smiling. Godspeed Scott.

UON Psychology and NORCCC run Super-Successful Peak International Conference on Social Cohesion at Newcastle

Researchers and experts on social cohesion from 18 countries and 6 continents have ‘talked research’ and discussed findings from social cohesion interventions -- while admiring dolphins and Newcastle beautiful Costal views from Noahs on the Beach, Newcastle -- between Monday 29 April and Wednesday 1 May. Led by AProf Stefania Paolini and Professor Miles Hewstone, UON School of Psychology staff and students plus members of the Newcastle-Oxford Research Centre on Conflict and Cohesion (or NORCCC) have shone hosting the 2019 SASP-SPSSI group meeting on “Advances in intergroup contact research: showcasing, consolidating, deconstructing and innovating the science of social integration”.

Photo above: conference delegates take a photo opportunity at the end of three intense research days at Noah’s on the Beach, Newcastle


This specialized gathering has showcased the best research on the dynamics of intergroup contact and social cohesion that is currently available on the international stage.  What was supposed to be a ‘small’ group meeting, has in fact become a medium-size meeting, with a total of 77 participants across the three days, including 50 researchers presenting research papers, and 20+ non-presenting participants from university staff, research students, and representatives of industry stakeholders in the social cohesion space from around the country. 

One of the conference delegates reached out to the organisers to express all her enthusiasm for the event as soon as it finished, saying: “I can honestly say it was the most well-organised, fun, thought-provoking conference I’ve attended.” AProf Paolini explains that: “the high quality gathering and its success will give further momentum to research in social cohesion and contribute to Newcastle’s evergrowing national and international research profile, recently confirmed by excellent ERA results for psychology. The conference reflects and is a testimony to the high quality of the work that many dedicated researchers, research laboratories do around the world”. She added: “it has been exciting to learn about cutting-edge paradigms, methods, and analytical approaches capable of unveiling the roots of intergroup prejudice and discrimination and working to find ways to increase social cohesion in a multitude of intergroup settings, participant populations and societal contexts.  We need more good quality research that helps us get closer to the society and the world that we want to be”.

 

Photo on the right: AProf Paolini (right) and research collaborator Fatima Azam (left) reflect on their contact-inspired community project bringing together non-Muslim and Muslim women around hijab stalls on UON campuses.

The Newcastle meeting enjoyed a very strong delegation of international and national delegates of varied seniority and background: 18 countries from all continents but Antarctica were represented. Of the 50 presenting delegates, 17 were from Australia, 24 from Europe, and 9 from other destinations around the world, making it into a truly international event!






To learn more about the 2019 SASP-SPSSI meeting on intergroup contact, visit the conference website: https://sasp.org.au/2018/09/sasp-spssi-group-meeting-2019/ To learn more about and contact researchers from the Newcastle-Oxford Research Centre on Conflict and Cohesion, visit: https://www.norccc.org/

Join us for a Research Presentation on Intergroup Contact and Self-deprovincializations by Jessica Boin on Tuesday 14th May, 12-1pm

The Social and Organisational Psychology Research Group is proud of inviting you to join....

WHAT: a research presentation by Jessica Boin, University of Padova, Italy.

TITLE: Effects of positive and negative contact experiences: The role of intergroup emotions, deprovincialization and individual dispositions

WHEN: Tuesday 14th May, 2019, 12-1pm

WHERE: Keats Reading Room AVLG17, Aviation Building, Callaghan (Video link to Ourimbah Meeting room, Science Offices; zoom linkZoom link:: https://uonewcastle.zoom.us/s/979950681 ZoomID: 979950681

ABSTRACT: According to the contact hypothesis, positive encounters with outgroup members have the potential of reducing prejudice toward the whole outgroup (Allport, 1954). Research has widely demonstrated the effectiveness of contact in ameliorating intergroup relations (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006) and further investigations has shown that the relationship between positive contact and prejudice can be explained by a reduction in intergroup anxiety and an increasing in empathy and trust toward the outgroup members (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2008). Another promising, yet least studied, aspects of contact involves the construct of deprovincialization, proposed by Pettigrew (1997,1998) to denote a less ingroup-centric worldview, fostering a common sense of belonging and openness to other cultures, following intergroup encounters. Although there is evidence for the mediating role of emotions on the relationship between positive contact and prejudice, further investigation is needed concerning the different effects of positive and negative contact experiences, a full test of the deprovincialization hypothesis and the possible role of individual dispositions.
In 2 cross-sectional (Nstudy1=348; Nstudy2=307) and one longitudinal (N = 668) studies, we explored the relationship between positive and negative contact and various outgroup outcomes, the mediating role of intergroup emotions (i.e., anxiety, empathy and trust) and deprovincialization on this relationships and the role of individual differences relevant to intergroup relations (ideologies, personality, cognitive styles and “hypo-egoic” dispositions).

BIO: Jessica Boin is completing her PhD at the University of Padova (Italy), under the supervision of Prof. Alberto Voci and she is currently visiting the University of Newcastle under the supervision of AProf. Stefania Paolini. Her main research interests concern intergroup relations, and prejudice reduction. Her work aims to examine how and when intergroup contact reduces prejudice, in particular, the effects of positive and negative contact experiences on prejudice with a main focus on the role of individual differences and ideologies.