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The current study focused on the education-nationalism relationship and aimed to understand whether the positive influence of education in the reduction of nationalist attitudes simply relies on the educational level reached, or is related to the kind of school attended to reach the level. Moreover, we were interested in understanding if book reading has a role in reducing nationalism. Seven hundred twenty Italian students (female = 59%; mean age = 18, SD =0.5) attending their senior year of secondary school (lyceum = 49%, technical = 51%) completed a questionnaire that included blind and constructive nationalism scales, ethnic national identification and book reading behaviour. We performed a structural equation model. Results showed that (1) lyceum students are less nationalistic than technical students are; (2) ethnic national identity drives both nationalism and patriotism; (3) lyceum attendance and book reading prevent ethnic national identity. Overall, the study highlighted that the strongest effect of education on nationalism pertains only to students with higher educational expectations, suggesting that the role of educational systems as diffusor of liberal values needs to be rethought.

The social comparison theory explains some negative effect of social networking sites (SNSs) use. These Internet applications have made easier the online social comparison that in turn predicts depression and lower life satisfaction. Individuals prone to depression engage in greater levels of social comparison, particularly with others who are thought to be slightly better off, and experience a decrease in mood or self-esteem in the light of others’ perceived happiness. The present study aimed at investigating the impact of the use of SNSs on the mood in an experimental design. In total, 120 university students were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the experimental groups, the participants were instructed to access their Facebook and browse personal profiles for 20 minutes; while in the control, they read articles. For the participants with initial low mood using Facebook further lowered their mood whereas for the other participants did not have any effect. Furthermore, using Facebook lowered the mood of the participants not accustomed to use it frequently.

The goal of this study was to investigate the relation between watching various types of TV programs and risk perception. Because risk perception is a complex phenomenon, we focused also on the role of personal (gender, educational level, personality) and contextual characteristics (living in a large, mid-sized, or small city) in the development of social concerns. A self-reported pen and paper questionnaire was administered to 316 Italian adults. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis to identify different groups of perceived risk causes, which revealed three factors: Violence, Politics and Economy, and Environment. We verified the relations among factors of risk perception, TV genres, and personal dimensions via structural equation modelling. Viewing News and Public Affairs was positively related to all dimensions; Films and TV series were positively related to Violence, and Reality and Variety Shows is not related to any factor of risk perception. Educational level was negatively related to all risk perception factors and to watching Reality and Variety Shows. Neuroticism was positively associated with Violence and Politics and Economy, whereas living in a large city was negatively related to Violence.

Objectification has been found to have negative consequences on how women are perceived by others. However in an even more sexualized world being a sexual object has become a standard of physical attractiveness for women and objectification could foster a positive evaluation increasing attractiveness. Although Objectification Theory was originally grounded in women’s experiences, some research points to the promise of Objectification Theory for understanding men’s experiences as well. The aim of the paper was investigating the effects of objectification on gender stereotypes and perceived attractiveness. Two experimental studies were conducted. Study 1 (N=139) investigated the effects of objectification on female targets. Study 2 (N=146) investigated the effects on male targets. In both studies three dependent variables were considered: communality, agency, and attractiveness. Results of Study 1 revealed that objectified women were considered less communal and more attractive. Moreover, men perceived objectified women less agentic than the non-objectified ones, whereas women showed the opposite perception. Concerning men, objectification has a limited impact, as it interacted with participants’ gender only on communality: men considered objectified males more communal than the non-objectified ones, while women revealed the opposite perception.

The consumption of alcohol among young adults is determined by different individual and environmental factors. The present study aims at comparing the effects of different predictors on the alcohol consumption of Italian young adults. Data were collected by means of a self-report questionnaire on a sample of 311 university students. Four different types of predictors were considered: (1) socio-demographic characteristics; (2) quality of social relations (Perceived social support); (3) Sensation-seeking personality trait; (4) Motivation to drink alcohol that the Motivational Model classifies according to the valence (positive or negative) and the source (internal or external) of the outcomes individuals expect to achieve from alcohol use. To test the influence of different groups of variables we performed three hierarchical regression analyses. Several significant influences were found. Alcohol consumption is of social value, it is linked to positive social relations and it is motivated by positive rather than negative valence motivations. Drinking motives confirmed their role of most proximal antecedents of alcohol use.

Although Sense of Community (SOC) is usually defined as a multidimensional construct, most SOC scales are unidimensional. To reduce the split between theory and empirical research, the present work identifies a multifactor structure for the Italian Sense of Community Scale (ISCS) that has already been validated as a unitary index of SOC. This study was carried out in two steps: (a) a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted of a three-factor structure, and (b) the author tested the predictive validity of the dimensions to confirm its structure. The study results validate the three-factor solution (i.e., Place Attachment, Needs Fulfillment and Influence, and Social Bonds). Therefore, the ISCS is a valid measure of SOC and a base from which to develop a new model for this construct. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure and 1 footnote.)

The study aimed to validate the Italian version of the Measure for Assessing Subtle Rape Myths developed by McMahon and Farmer. A sample of 3,915 university students (70.8% female) completed the questionnaire. After an exploratory factor analysis, a confirmatory factor analysis tested the resulting four-factor structure of the Italian Subtle Rape Myth Acceptance (SRMA-IT) Scale ("She Asked for It"; "He Didn't Mean To"; "It Wasn't Really Rape"; and "She Lied"), consistent with McMahon and Farmer's initial hypothesis. The Italian validation did not include items related to intoxication. Internal consistency of the subscales was good (α from.78 to.90). Convergent validity between all subscales and System Justification–Gender was detected: A strong relationship was observed (r is from.19 to.33; p <.001). The independent-sample T test then showed that women accepted all four rape myths significantly less than men: Effect size is more than moderate for the myth "She Asked for It" (Cohen's d =.60) and between small and moderate for the other myths (d is from.35 to.42). Acceptance of rape myths is often associated with higher men's proclivity to rape and with tendency to raped women's double victimization (they can be not believed or blamed when they disclose the rape). Having a validated instrument to measure rape myth acceptance can enhance empirical research on this topic and help to develop interventions of prevention both for men in the society and for the first responders to disclosures, also sustaining a culture of respect and of contrast to violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against women represents a global public health issue of epidemic proportions, as well as a gross violation of women's human rights. It can take many forms, such as physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse, and controlling behaviors. The purpose of the study was to extend past research on recognition of violence against women within the framework of the ambivalent sexism theory and the social dominance orientation (SDO) theory. Specifically, we investigated the following: (a) to what extent different behaviors potentially harming women are recognized as a form of violence, and (b) whether gender, SDO, and sexist attitudes influence such recognition. Participants were 264 University students (43.1% males, M age = 23.09 years). They were asked to rate the extent to which several behaviors constituted violence against women. Participants' sexism was assessed by the short version of the Ambivalent Sexism (ASI) and Ambivalence toward Men Inventory (AMI) scales and the SDO by the SDO Italian scale. Through a factor analysis, we individuated three different groups of behaviors harming women: Physical violence, unequivocally recognized as a form of violence; Limitation of freedom, containing behaviors restraining women's action; and emotional abuse, encompassing verbally and emotionally aggressive behaviors. We tested the relations between variables through a structural equation model, finding that SDO and sexism had a direct effect on the recognition of violence, whereas the influence of gender was mediated by SDO and sexist attitudes. Thus, not gender per se, but gender-role attitudes that seem to affect recognition of some behaviors as a form of violence against women. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study focused on the education-nationalism relationship and aimed to understand whether the positive influence of education in the reduction of nationalist attitudes simply relies on the educational level reached, or is related to the kind of school attended to reach the level. Moreover, we were interested in understanding if book reading has a role in reducing nationalism. Seven hundred twenty Italian students (female = 59%; mean age = 18, SD =.5) attending their senior year of secondary school (lyceum = 49%, technical = 51%) completed a questionnaire that included blind and constructive nationalism scales, ethnic national identification and book reading behaviour. We performed a structural equation model. Results showed that 1) lyceum students are less nationalistic than technical students are; 2) ethnic national identity drives both nationalism and patriotism; 3) lyceum attendance and book reading prevent ethnic national identity. Overall, the study highlighted that the strongest effect of education on nationalism pertains only to students with higher educational expectations, suggesting that the role of educational systems as diffusor of liberal values needs to be rethought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drinking alcohol is a risk behaviour for individual health. Many studies have investigated the psychological factors influencing alcohol consumption among adolescent and university students, fewer investigated these variables on adult samples. The literature investigated the relation between life satisfaction and alcohol consumption. The results were not consistent. This study aimed to investigate whether drinking motives could mediate the relationship between life satisfaction and alcohol consumption, distinguishing between the general alcohol consumption and episodes of binge drinking. Data were collected by means of a self-report questionnaire in a sample of 285 adults (mean age: 34.4 years). The relations were examined empirically by means of a structural equations model. The results showed the role of drinking motives in fully mediating the relation between life satisfaction and the indicators of alcohol consumption. The coping drinking motive related to general alcohol consumption whereas the enhancement motive to increased binge drinking. Interventions should focus on the coping function of alcohol consumption, helping individuals to develop alternative coping strategies for managing negative moods resulting from unsatisfactory life conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smoking of tobacco among adolescents is due to several influential factors, both individual and social. The present study aimed at comparing the effects of different variables on adolescent cigarette smoking, specifically, peer and parent modelling, self-regulatory efficacy, and parental degree of care as perceived by the adolescent. Data were collected by means of a self-report questionnaire administered to a sample of 229 secondary school students aged between 15 and 20 years (mean = 16.69, SD = 1.14). To test the influence of different variables, we performed a binary logistic regression analysis. Results indicated that the father is a key figure in that his care and affection can prevent adolescents from becoming a smoker and his modelling is a risk factor. The significant influence of friends was also confirmed and indicated that peer modelling is a strong predictor of adolescent cigarette smoking. Finally, the results revealed that self-regulatory efficacy is a relevant psychological variable capable of preventing smoking initiation during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]