Abstract Racial colorblindness refers to the prescriptive belief that race should not influence institutional practices or interpersonal interactions. Though racial colorblind ideology was championed in the 2023 Supreme Court ruling reversing affirmative action in college admissions, existing research suggests that such beliefs may perpetuate racial inequality by neglecting the importance of policies that consider historical and social factors. Two studies investigate how institutionalized racial colorblindness shapes evaluations of student applicants of color. In two online samples of US adults, participants act as college admissions officers and evaluated hypothetical applications. In Study 1, students of color—who mentioned race in their personal statement—were rated as less qualified for admission when the Supreme Court ruling was mentioned relative to those evaluated without this policy cue. Study 2 further demonstrated that applicants who described experiences of racial injustice were penalized compared to those who expressed racial pride or did not mention race. Overall, the findings highlight the potential consequences of institutionalizing racial colorblindness in the admissions landscape and the risks this poses for students of color.
Abstract Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and/or asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals are critically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workplaces and often face negative workplace experiences, such as social isolation and pressures to conceal their LGBTQIA+ identity. We investigate how different pride flags influence perceptions of allyship and identity‐safety in STEM environments. In Study 1, LGBTQIA+ identifying STEM employees viewed an STEM workplace with a manager that displayed an inclusive pride flag, a straight ally flag, or no flag and reported their impressions of the manager and anticipated identity‐safety at the organization. Study 2 replicated and extended Study 1 in a non‐STEM sample of LGBTQIA+ individuals. Results indicated that both inclusive pride flags and straight ally flags signal allyship; however, the straight ally flag was both associated with perceptions that the manager wished to show humility toward the LGBTQIA+ community and also distance themself from the LGBTQIA+ community. We discuss how differing perceptions due to displaying the straight ally flag or the inclusive pride flag may impact LGBTQIA+ individuals’ belonging in STEM.
Abstract Economic abuse is a distinct form of intimate partner violence. This study explored the links between economic abuse, housing insecurity, and homelessness for mothers of young children. We used a sequential explanatory mixed methods design that included quantitative analysis of survey data collected from 195 mothers enrolled in home visiting programs in one Midwestern state, followed by qualitative analysis of in‐depth interviews with 33 mothers who reported experiencing economic abuse in the past year. Quantitative findings revealed that experiences of economic abuse were associated with specific housing insecurity concerns, and economic abuse predicted total housing insecurity problems and likelihood of homelessness. Qualitative findings aligned with and deepened the quantitative results and revealed four themes including economic abuse contributing to poor quality housing, persistent precarious housing, gendered challenges of doubling up, and cumulative insecurity resulting in homelessness. Together, these findings underscore the inclusion of economic abuse in practices and policies to reduce housing insecurity and improve housing security, particularly for mothers of young children. These findings also inform practice directions for home visiting programs and additional supports for parents of young children.
Abstract This study explored adolescents' daily political stress during the 2024 US election and how proximal and distal factors shaped stress. Participants completed surveys for 20 consecutive days before, during, and after the election. At baseline, they reported perceptions of peer and family election‐related experiences and anticipated election impact. Daily surveys captured their daily political stress and election‐related exposure. The final sample included 445 daily observations reported by 36 adolescents (aged 13–18, M = 15.61, SD = 1.23) who were mostly white, female, and Democrats. Participants reported significant daily fluctuations in political stress and greater political stress on days when they experienced more frequent election exposure, regardless of their anticipated election impact. On days with little election exposure, participants reported little to no political stress; however, on days with high exposure, participants who anticipated greater election impacts reported significantly more political stress than those who anticipated low impacts. Daily political stress positively related to participants’ election investment compared to their peers; otherwise, perceptions of family and peer election‐related experiences did not shape their political stress. Implications encourage adolescents’ use of anticipatory coping strategies such as limiting their election‐related exposure when feeling overwhelmed.
Abstract This study investigates whether national identity strength moderates election losers’ reactions to political defeat, focusing on social belonging and desire for transnational emigration or domestic migration following the 2024 U.S. presidential election. American partisans ( N = 842) completed measures of national identity, perceived ideological fit, national and community belonging, and emigration and migration motivation. Results largely supported preregistered predictions: election losers with weak national identities reported less national belonging and stronger desire to emigrate, whereas those with strong national identities reported greater belonging and showed less interest in emigration. National identity also moderated community belonging and domestic migration motivation, with strong national identification buffering against poor local ideological fit. Exploratory analyses of open‐ended responses echoed these patterns. These findings highlight the psychological importance of national identity in shaping how individuals navigate political loss and suggest that strong attachments might curb geographic political sorting.
Abstract Social and political activities take many forms with some efforts centered on the promotion of social justice. Critical consciousness underlies many social justice efforts. Critical consciousness refers to the perception of social and economic inequities and engagement in actions to reduce inequities. Diemer's model of critical consciousness suggests that critical reflection, efficacy, and critical action are interrelated. Additionally, researchers have demonstrated that experiencing discrimination is an important predictor of critical action. The goal of the current study was to examine predictors of critical action and determine if these predictors differed for Black and White students. College students reported critical reflection (perceptions of inequality), internal (personal) efficacy, external (government responsiveness to people) efficacy, discrimination, and critical action. For the Black students ( n = 165), critical action was positively predicted by discrimination and external efficacy. For the White students ( n = 418), critical action was positively predicted by discrimination and critical reflection. To further elucidate these findings, participants were asked to describe why they chose to either work to reduce injustice or why they chose not to get involved. The themes for students that reported they work to reduce injustice centered on values. They stressed the importance of fairness and justice, they reported a sense of responsibility to help others and to make the world better. Even when experiencing discrimination, they reported a desire to protect others from similar experiences. Themes from participants who do not get involved focused on the self. Students reported the desire to avoid conflict, fearing repercussions, lacking interest, and lacking resources. These findings demonstrate the diversity in predictors of critical action among college students. Efforts to support emerging adults social/political engagement may need to be refined to fit the participants being addressed.
Abstract Beyond its well‐documented health‐related effects, economic inequality has significant sociopsychological consequences. This research examines how perceived economic inequality is associated with tolerance of gender‐based violence through status anxiety and sexualization processes. Across three studies involving Italian heterosexual women, results showed that higher levels of perceived economic inequality, combined with a low socioeconomic status, were associated with increased status anxiety, self‐sexualization, and enjoyment of sexualization. These psychological factors, in turn, predicted greater tolerance of gender‐based violence, particularly in terms of minimizing male behavior. Study 1 ( N = 300) provided correlational evidence of these relationships. Through an experimental design, Study 2 ( N = 218) confirmed the role of perceived inequality and low socioeconomic status in reinforcing these dynamics. Study 3 ( N = 211) replicated the effect of inequality and status on attitudes toward gender‐based violence using an implicit measure. By revealing the psychological mechanisms linking perceived economic inequality and socioeconomic position to violence acceptance, this research underscores the urgency of addressing economic disparities to drive social change and highlights potentially harmful adaptive strategies that women may adopt in response to unequal social and economic contexts.
Women in the United States experience gender-based discrimination frequently, and these experiences appear to be negatively associated with health outcomes. The current study conducted an intersectional, subgroup analysis by ethnicity of women's experiences with gender-based everyday discrimination and the associations with their reported mental health, emotional problems, and physical health. Social support was examined as a possible moderator of the associations. Analyses included 45,638 women of diverse identities in the All of Us Research Program. Experience with gender-based discrimination was associated with poorer mental and physical health and more emotional problems for women of all races/ethnicities. Increased social support was associated with better mental and physical health. Furthermore, social support moderated the association between gender-based discrimination and health for Black women's mental health and emotional problems and for Hispanic women's mental and physical health. This suggests that social support buffers gender-based discrimination for women who identify as Black and Hispanic. Results can inform research, clinical practice, and policies.
Fat people, and particularly fat women, face pervasive and salient stigma in healthcare contexts, resulting in downstream health disparities. We investigated whether a representational identity safety cue could mitigate experiences of threat and stigma, and prompt feelings of belonging. In two preregistered studies with fat women samples (N = 1512), we manipulated physician demographics to examine the function of physician concordance as an identity safety cue. Target physicians varied on gender (woman, man) and body size (fat, thin); Study 2 incorporated an additional factor of physician race (Black, White). We examined how these physician characteristics shaped outcomes, including anticipated weight stigma, belonging, and anxiety. Fat doctors consistently elicited less anticipated weight stigma than thin doctors, suggesting that doctor body size can serve as an identity safety cue for fat patients. Gender, however, appeared to be a more salient safety cue than body size, with fat women consistently reporting greater identity-safety expectations from women doctors relative to men doctors. Black physicians, relative to White physicians, elicited more favorable expectations of belonging, comfort, anxiety, warmth, and competence-though did not elicit decreased weight stigma concerns. Overall, physician diversity in body size, gender, and race strengthened belonging and decreased weight stigma concerns. Fat women experience health disparities due to weight stigma. We found that fat doctors reduced stigma concerns among fat women. Fat women also anticipated better experiences with Black and women doctors than those who were White and men. Doctor body size, race, and gender can signal safety for fat patients; Policies that expand diversity, equity, and inclusion in medical training and in the medical workforce could reduce disparities.
By 2024, 35 states had adopted self-defense laws, ranging from modified stand your ground (SYG) laws to expanding castle doctrine (CD) to apply beyond the home. Although these laws were intended to protect communities, states with these laws have higher firearm homicide rates. By surveying emerging adults, the current study examines how gun attitudes influence support for self-defense laws, such as CD and SYG. Participants were 444 students at a southeastern university recruited for a study on self-defense laws. Participants answered questions assessing their knowledge of SYG and CD laws, then received a brief description of each self-defense law and were asked whether they supported each law. Finally, participants were asked about their general gun attitudes and attitudes toward gun control. Results indicated that participants with more favorable gun control laws were less likely to support both stand your ground laws and castle doctrine. However, people with positive gun attitudes were more likely to support self-defense laws. People who previously or currently own a gun were more likely to support self-defense laws than those who have never owned one. Findings indicate that gun ownership and attitudes influence support for self-defense laws. Implications for policy and research are provided. The application of self-defense laws, such as stand your ground (SYG) laws and castle doctrine (CD), is increasing, reflecting a growing legal and cultural reliance on self-defense laws. Gun ownership and attitudes may influence support for self-defense laws, which have implications for the United States' criminal legal system.
Representative democracies hinge on citizens' political participation, from casting votes to running for office at the local, state, and national levels. Yet, many questions remain regarding how to nurture political participation and leadership aspiration, especially early in life. Existing work has largely focused on adolescents' concrete political behaviors, leaving their more abstract perceptions of politics-such as who they see politics representing and whether they view politics as impactful- understudied. Here, we examined these perceptions of political representation and impact among high school students (ages 13-17) in Queens, NY (N = 113) and tested how these perceptions relate to adolescents' confidence and interest in pursuing leadership roles. Data was collected one week before and after the 2024 U.S. presidential election, allowing us to track real-time shifts in political perceptions and aspirations. Adolescents showed substantial variation across demographic and political characteristics, with perceptions of representation and impact interacting in nuanced ways, particularly for historically underrepresented groups. Election-related shifts in these perceptions further predicted changes in adolescents' confidence, and especially interest, in political leadership, suggesting a feedback loop that may contribute to persistent leadership inequities. This study underscores the importance of understanding adolescents' abstract political thinking and informs efforts to foster more inclusive democratic leadership. In a time of rising polarization and political mistrust, it is crucial to understand how developing adolescents-our future voters and leaders-think about their place in the political world. Leveraging the context of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, our findings illustrate how adolescents' social and political identities influence their perceptions of who belongs in politics and why politics matters, in turn shaping their own motivations to pursue political leadership careers.
Climate-protective behaviors (CPBs) aim to reduce one's carbon footprint and to engage others in climate saving. Under the late Pope Francis's leadership (2013-2025), the Catholic Church, to which most Italians belong, paid increasing attention to the planetary crisis and advocated for lifestyle changes to protect the climate. Drawing from a survey of a representative sample of Italian citizens, we checked if religiosity, which research connects to altruistic predispositions predicting prosocial behavior, impacts the intention to adopt CPB. We find modest variance, indicating that older respondents, women, working people, the highly educated, non-believers, and politically interested individuals are more willing to adopt behavioral changes. Religiosity is significantly and positively associated only with some climate-friendly behaviors: the willingness to buy sustainable clothing, to mobilize others, to invest in sustainable funds, and to avoid air travel. Political determinants are stronger predictors of intended climate activism and reduced red meat consumption. Amidst growing calls for climate justice and action by religious leaders, this research found that religiosity moderately influences the willingness to adopt some climate-friendly behaviors, whereas religion itself has no significant impact. To boost climate-protecting action, appealing to altruistic inclinations and targeting messages to the various audiences to that effect could enhance the meaningfulness of religious elites' climate communication.
The first aim of this study is to explore the relationships between home displacement-community resilience, and indication of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a collective trauma. Another aim is to examine the mediating effect of community resilience on the relationship between home displacement and indication of PTSD. Using a quantitative approach, a questionnaire assessing home displacement, community resilience, and indication of PTSD was administered to 2076 Israeli adults residing in an area experiencing active fighting. Consistent with the hypotheses, significant associations were found among home displacement, community resilience, and PTSD indication, with community resilience having a significant mediating effect. This study highlights the protective role of community resilience in mitigating adverse outcomes during crises, emphasizing its role as a mediator between home displacement and indication of PTSD in the context of severe security crisis. Individuals who were displaced from their homes during a prolonged security crisis were more likely to show an indication of PTSD and reported lower levels of community resilience compared to nondisplaced individuals. Lower community resilience was also associated with a higher likelihood of PTSD indication. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening community resources, particularly among displaced populations, to support mental health during large-scale emergencies.
While much is known about discriminatory behaviors in fields like the labor and housing markets, there is a dearth of empirical evidence on perceived acceptability of discrimination among the public. This study investigates this complex landscape by examining views on discrimination based on age, ethnicity, gender, and disability in Belgium through a web survey (N = 3000). Through four distinct vignettes based on housing and labor scenarios, we offer a deeper understanding of society's tolerance toward discriminatory practices. Age surfaces as the most tolerated form of discrimination, highlighting deeply ingrained ageist ideologies that overshadow the value of experience and wisdom in older individuals. Conversely, gender discrimination is met with the least acceptance, reflecting ongoing struggles for gender equality. Our findings shed light on the influence of authoritarian sentiments, particularly through the lens of social dominance orientation (SDO), on the acceptance of discrimination across all vignettes. We found a significant interaction between SDO and ethnicity, with the effect of SDO on the acceptability of discrimination being more pronounced in vignettes involving ethnicity as discrimination ground. While acknowledging limitations, our research sets the stage for future exploration of the multifaceted nature of discriminatory views and the intersectional identities that shape them. This study shows that age-based discrimination is more socially accepted than other forms in Belgium, while gender bias is least tolerated. Acceptance of discrimination is linked to support for social hierarchies, and even personal experiences of discrimination can increase tolerance toward it. Understanding these patterns can help policymakers design more effective strategies to counter prejudice and advance equality in the workplace and housing sector.
According to Allport's Contact Hypothesis, contact with individuals from different social groups fosters positive intergroup relations under certain conditions. Building on this theoretical framework, we examined the effects of direct (Study 1) and indirect (extended; Study 2) contact with refugees within (two different types of) Italian welcome projects in promoting positive intergroup relations. In Study 1, we surveyed 99 professionals and volunteers who experienced direct contact with refugees by working on welcome projects, which encourage asymmetrical (status inequality) or symmetrical (status equality) contact with refugees. We analyzed their promotion of extended contact. In Study 2, we surveyed 173 participants who had indirect extended contact with refugees, being proxies of the professionals and volunteers from Study 1. We assessed their intention to engage in prosocial behaviors in support of refugees. Participants completed questionnaires measuring intergroup trust, anxiety, stigma (Study 1), and refugee attitudes (Study 2). Results showed that both direct and indirect contact with refugees were associated with promoting extended contact (Study 1) and prosocial behaviors (Study 2). These effects were mediated by stigma in Study 1, and by attitudes toward refugees in Study 2. The study highlights the importance of contact within Italian welcome projects in fostering positive intergroup relations. Our data showed that refugee welcome programs can foster positive intercultural relations, especially when efforts are made to nurture symmetrical and meaningful relations between refugees and hosts. These findings may bolster support for migration policies that prioritize projects promoting personalized, equitable relations between migrants and hosts, rather than those based on asymmetric, dependency-driven relationships between professionals and refugees.
This study explores the convergence of homelessness and environmental hazards within public discourse sources, focusing on three questions: How did public discourse sources differ in their portrayal of clearing the Zone, a contentious downtown Phoenix encampment? To what extent did Phoenix's Safe Outdoor Space feature in local public discourse sources' coverage of homelessness? How was exposure to environmental hazards addressed in public discourse narratives surrounding homelessness during the clearing of the Zone and creation of the SOS? We employed social constructionism and thematic analysis to identify and interpret themes within public discourse sources (n = 111 records) from January 1 to December 31, 2023. When feasible, we incorporated content analysis to quantify distinct themes. We identified three themes related to clearing the Zone: Blame, Support for the city, and Skepticism of the city, as well as three themes around creating the SOS: Support for the city, Skepticism of the city, and Alternative solutions. For environmental hazards, we identified one theme: Environmental concerns. Our analysis suggests the need for a three-pronged strategy: year-round protection from environmental exposures, elevating the voices of those with lived experience, and expanding investments in housing. Public dialogue surrounding homelessness and environmental hazards in Phoenix reflects broader national challenges. Media and government actors play a key role in shaping this discourse and, in turn, advancing equitable and collaborative solutions. Lasting change will require moving beyond blame to address structural causes, while amplifying the voices of those most affected by housing instability and environmental hazards.
Cisgender employees play a crucial role in shaping workplace inclusion efforts for their transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) colleagues in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The current study aimed to explore how cisgender young adults perceive policies and practices that are central to improving TGD inclusion in the Australian STEM workplace. We conducted a series of simulated, semi-structured interviews in virtual reality, during which cisgender participants (N = 81) embodied transgender or cisgender virtual avatars and interacted with a transgender virtual interviewer. Our thematic analysis explores patterns of meaning across participant responses targeting equity, diversity, and inclusion, allyship, and gender identity. Resulting themes suggest different levels of engagement with TGD inclusion, highlighting the influence of contemporary discourses on acknowledgment of TGD rights and resistance to changing a cisgender-heteronormative status quo. We classify achievements, challenges, and areas for intervention that highlight gaps between symbolic progress and genuine inclusion. Tokenistic actions appear progressive but fail to address systemic inequities, while informed inclusion requires cultural shifts toward challenging gender essentialism and embracing TGD lived experience at work. We discuss how virtual reality simulations can be applied to address these challenges and enable more inclusive considerations of TGD identities in the STEM workplace. This study explores how Australian young adults perceive transgender inclusion in STEM using virtual reality interviews. Our thematic analysis reveals gaps between symbolic progress and meaningful change, with public discourse shaping attitudes toward transgender rights. The findings highlight opportunities for policymakers in STEM to capitalize on innovation and technology using virtual reality education to improve the inclusion of gender diverse people at work.
This article presents the development and validation of the Neoliberal Ideological Beliefs Questionnaire (NLBQ), a novel measure designed to analyze neoliberal ideological beliefs specifically within the context of work and employment. The NLBQ is theoretically grounded in the distinction of three fundamental political neoliberal logics: individualism, instrumentality, and competition. To evaluate its psychometric properties, factorial, and construct validity, the NLBQ was administered to four convenience samples of altogether N = 4075 participants from Austria and Germany (Study 1: n = 664; Study 2: n = 458; Study 3: n = 559; Study 4: n = 2394). The initial 90-item pool, developed through extensive group discussions and iterative testing, was reduced to a final 18-item version through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA). The four studies confirmed the three-dimensional structure of the NLBQ and demonstrated its convergent and incremental validity by computing bivariate and partial correlations with established scales measuring related constructs, such as neoliberal beliefs analyzed with an alternative measure (Neoliberal Beliefs Inventory), ideologies of market competition and shareholder interest, economic system justification, political left-right self-placement, social dominance orientation, dark triad personality, and group-focused enmity. The final 18-item version demonstrated satisfactory fit indices across all four samples. Finally, we derived a 9-item short version, which also showed strong psychometric properties. This article introduces the Neoliberal Ideological Beliefs Questionnaire (NLBQ), a tool to measure neoliberal beliefs related to work and employment by asking for the level of agreement to 18 statements addressing three aspects of neoliberalism: individualism, instrumentality, competition. Four studies confirm the NLBQ's reliability and validity. The NLBQ can be used for the empirical investigation of how neoliberal ideologies shape individuals' experiences and behaviors within and beyond the work domain.
Graduate school can be a highly uncertain and stressful time. Stressors may be exacerbated for individuals with historically marginalized social identities within the academy (e.g., female students, students from low-income backgrounds, and people of color). We predicted that female students and students of color would report more negative program experiences, and that these identities, along with financial status, would be associated with decreased intentions to pursue an academic career. In a survey of 1798 psychology doctoral students from 155 U.S. institutions, we examined students' finances, program experiences, mental health, and intentions to remain in academia. On average, students reported feeling underpaid. Additionally, 29% of the sample reported that their stipends did not cover basic needs and 17% lacked university-issued health insurance. Female students and students of color also reported more negative program experiences and worse mental health outcomes in comparison to male and White students, respectively. In a logistic regression including all factors predicting future career intentions, we found that female students, students who did not have university-issued health insurance, and those with more negative program experiences were less likely to pursue an academic career after graduation. Experiences of psychology doctoral students in U.S. institutions may mirror and amplify racial, gender, and class inequities. For the field of psychology to become more equitable, better graduate funding and support for diversity and inclusion will be essential. Graduate school experiences shape who remains in academia. This study finds that many U.S. psychology doctoral students experience financial strain, with female students and students of color reporting more negative program climates and poorer mental health. Female students, students without university health insurance, and those in less supportive programs were less likely to pursue academic careers. Improving funding, health insurance access, and program climate is essential for a more equitable psychology field.
