Martin Obschonka , Fabian Wahl , Michael Fritsch , Michael Wyrwich , P. Jason Rentfrow , Jeff Potter , Samuel D. Gosling
{"title":"Roma Eterna? Roman rule explains regional well-being divides in Germany","authors":"Martin Obschonka , Fabian Wahl , Michael Fritsch , Michael Wyrwich , P. Jason Rentfrow , Jeff Potter , Samuel D. Gosling","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100214","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100214","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In light of persistent regional inequalities in adaptive outcomes such as health, well-being, and related personality traits, psychological research is increasingly adopting a historical perspective to understand the deeper roots of these patterns. In this study, we examine the role of ancient cultures, specifically the impact of Roman civilization around two thousand years ago, on the macro-psychological character of German regions. We compare present-day regions that were advanced by Roman culture with those that remained outside of Roman influence. Even when accounting for more recent historical factors, we find that regions developed by Roman civilization show more adaptive personality patterns (Big Five) and better health and psychological well-being today. Results from a spatial regression discontinuity design indicate a significant effect of the Roman border on present-day regional variation in these outcomes. Additional analyses suggest that Roman investments in economic institutions (e.g., trade infrastructure such as Roman roads, markets, and mines) were crucial in creating this long-term effect. Together, these results demonstrate how ancient cultures can imprint a macro-psychological legacy that contributes to present-day regional inequalities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100214"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Arzu Wasti , Othman Alkhadher , Moustapha Achoui , Michele J. Gelfand
{"title":"Editorial: Introduction to the special issue on globalizing psychological science to include in the Middle East and Africa","authors":"S. Arzu Wasti , Othman Alkhadher , Moustapha Achoui , Michele J. Gelfand","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2024.100208","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2024.100208","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100208"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gen Tsudaka , Margaux N.A. Wienk , Jana B. Berkessel , Cynthia Boo
{"title":"Rugged terrain and rigid hierarchy","authors":"Gen Tsudaka , Margaux N.A. Wienk , Jana B. Berkessel , Cynthia Boo","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100220","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100220","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human societies differ markedly in their endorsement of hierarchical authority, ranging from strict obedience to powerful leaders and militaries to more decentralized and egalitarian governance. Although cultural values have traditionally been used to explain this diversity, socioecological perspectives suggest that physical environments also shape collective orientations toward authority. The current research examines whether terrain ruggedness—the degree of elevational variability—predicts hierarchical preferences across large-scale contexts. In Study 1 (78 countries; <em>N</em> = 156,658), we combined cross-national survey data from the European Values Study/World Values Survey with digital elevation models. Results demonstrated that national preferences for military rule and for a strong leader (who bypasses democratic processes) were higher in countries with more rugged terrain, even after controlling for economic factors, demographic indices, and spatial autocorrelation. Study 2 (50 U.S. states; <em>N</em> = 336,491), using Gallup Poll data, replicated and extended these findings within the United States, revealing that states with greater terrain ruggedness exhibited a higher proportion of vertical (“boss-like”) supervisory relations, rather than egalitarian, collaborative (“partner-like”) styles. These convergent findings bolster socioecological models of person–environment fit and extend prior research linking geography and social cognition. By identifying terrain ruggedness as a robust predictor of hierarchical orientation at both national and subnational scales, this research highlights how ecological constraints can legitimize dominance-oriented leadership, while also suggesting that socioeconomic and cultural developments may moderate terrain’s influence on social dynamics. Future longitudinal and historical research is needed to clarify how environments and governance structures co-evolve, further illuminating the interplay between ecology, hierarchy, and social organization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100220"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143873223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cultural logics and individualism-collectivism: a conceptualization of the two frameworks from a cultural dynamical perspective","authors":"Yoshihisa Kashima, Said Shafa, Khandis Blake","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100232","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100232","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cultural logics of dignity, face, and honour (Leung & Cohen, 2011) have become a significant focus of research in culture and psychology. However, how they relate to the existing literature on individualism and collectivism has been left unclarified despite their apparent conceptual links. This article attempts to clarify how cultural logics relate to individualism and collectivism from a perspective of the psychology of cultural dynamics. After describing our approach to the psychology of cultural dynamics, we suggest that cultural logics and individualism-collectivism can be conceptualized as cultural ideas and practices about how to structure social organization. Honor and face logics are typically embedded in kin-based and social network-based collectivisms, respectively. In contrast, dignity logic is a particular configuration of individualism combined with a particular type of collectivism called attribute collectivism, which emphasizes social connections based on a shared attribute that defines a group membership. We then argue that the prevalence of cultural logics in a human population depends on the socio-ecological environments with which the population interacts. Honor becomes prominent under severe intergroup competition, face under a great need for intragroup cooperation, and dignity under moderate levels of intragroup cooperation and intergroup competition. In the final section, we piece together recent empirical evidence to hypothesize socio-ecological factors that have, over time, given rise to contemporary cultural diversity across Eurasia – widespread kin/clan collectivism with honor logic, but dignity in the West and face in the East.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100232"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Differential effects of honor ideology on flu vaccine uptake in the United States and Turkey","authors":"Stephen Foster , Pelin Gül","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100219","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100219","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flu vaccine uptake is an important public health behavior which contributes to decreased flu mortality and less severe flu symptoms. Despite its proven potential for protecting vulnerable populations, many individuals do not get the flu vaccine due to beliefs or perception that they are invulnerable to the flu. The current research explored whether this perception and its subsequent impact on decreased flu vaccine uptake, may be more prevalent in cultures of honor, where maintaining a reputation of strength and resilience is encouraged. The study also explored if these effects replicate across two different honor cultures (southern United States and Turkey). Results showed that individual-level honor endorsement was linked with perceived invulnerability to the flu in both the U.S. and Turkey but while this was linked to decreased vaccine uptake in the U.S., it was linked with increased uptake in Turkey (Studies 1 and 2). Finally, a regional comparison in the U.S. showed that higher flu mortality in a U.S. honor region was explained by lower rates of flu vaccine uptake in the region (Study 3). Findings suggest that while honor facilitates decreased vaccine uptake among Americans because they perceive themselves strong and invulnerable to flu, it could actually increase uptake in cultures where honor is expressed as protecting one's family.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100219"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alexa Spence , Charles Ogunbode , Christina Demski , Stuart Capstick
{"title":"The emotional depth of flood experience: the role of positive emotions in shaping perceptions and action on climate change","authors":"Alexa Spence , Charles Ogunbode , Christina Demski , Stuart Capstick","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100221","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100221","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flooding is an ongoing and predicted impact of climate change in many parts of the world. Previous research shows that many people who have experienced flooding exhibit a greater preparedness to act on climate change, especially when the experience relates to more pronounced emotional responses. However, this research has mainly focused on general negative emotional reactions to flooding. Here, we re-analysed a large UK survey dataset (<em>N</em> = 1997) using mixed-methods to examine discrete emotional responses to flooding, including positive emotions, and their relationship with environmental intentions and policy support. Whilst anxiety, anger, helplessness, and distress, dominate people’s experience, positive emotions were also reported as significantly higher in our flooded group, particularly gratitude and pride in response to the receipt of external and community support; surprise was also observed. Thematic analysis highlighted perceived impacts of flooding, and the experience of positive support, as being key to alleviating distress and anxiety, as well as promoting subsequent positive long-term actions to reduce flooding. Notably indirect experience of flooding was also impactful with a range of emotional responses also reported by observers. Regression analysis indicated that higher levels of anxiety, distress, and gratitude were associated with greater intentions to act environmentally in the future (alongside greater levels of anger and lower levels of indifference), and to support for environmental policies (alongside greater levels of sympathy). We suggest that the provision of support following flooding may promote considerations of morality and climate change and increase the likelihood (of both recipients and observers) to undertake pro social and pro-environmental behaviour themselves in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100221"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143864013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hossein Samani , Mohammad Parsanasab , Nicolas Baumard
{"title":"The historical psychology of romantic love in Persia in the very long run (900 - 1920)","authors":"Hossein Samani , Mohammad Parsanasab , Nicolas Baumard","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100233","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100233","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous research has highlighted a historical rise in the prominence of romantic love, as reflected in literary fiction across various cultures. In this study, we examined this trend within Persian literature, distinguished by its remarkable continuity and renowned medieval works. Utilizing a newly developed database of Persian narratives spanning from the 10th century to the early 20th century CE, we quantified the significance of love in these stories using GPT language models. We validated our methodology through three procedures: using a dataset of Iranian movies (<em>N</em> = 3532), comparing GPT's scores with labels provided by Persian literary scholars, and comparing those with human annotations. We conducted analysis on a corpus of Persian stories (<em>N</em> = 4662). Our findings reveal an increasing emphasis on romantic love over time, with evidence suggesting that economic development may have influenced preferences for love themes, particularly during the Safavid era (1501–1736). These results invite future research to investigate whether this trend reflects broader psychological shifts associated with modernization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100233"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of start vs. end temporal landmarks on self-dissimilarity and goal motivation","authors":"Yuta Chishima , Masato Nagamine","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A Temporal landmark refers to any distinct event that stands out from the mundane routine of daily life, encompassing yearly milestones or significant life events. Previous research has exhibited that the induction of salient temporal landmarks fosters self-dissimilarity and goal motivation. In this study, we conducted an online experiment at the end of the year, comparing the effects of temporal landmark induction between start (New Year's Day) and end (New Year's Eve) temporal landmarks. Japanese participants (<em>N</em> = 457) were randomly allocated to one of four conditions: salient start, salient end, non-salient start, or non-salient end. The induction of the temporal landmark engendered heightened perceptions of the landmark as a meaningful milestone and increased participants’ sense of self-dissimilarity in the upcoming year. These results were observed regardless of whether it was a start or end landmark. Differences in methodology and the cultural background of the participants were discussed to comprehend the obtained results.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100215"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143591731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Building faith: the relationships between materials, form, and worship in pre-industrial religious architecture","authors":"Navdeep Kaur , Joseph Watts , Jamin Halberstadt","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100231","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100231","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Religious structures have traditionally been seen as reflections of beliefs and practices, yet their design may also shape religious behavior and thought. This study investigates how local materials are related to the architecture and associated practices of pre-industrial religious structures, using data from the Database of Religious History (DRH) and additional coding of 121 sites. Results reveal that malleable materials like plaster and clay are linked to curved roofs, while wood is associated with larger structures. Larger buildings were more likely to support communal worship, whereas curved roofs were negatively associated with individual worship. Path analyses suggest that the relationship between materials and religious practices is accounted for by the architectural features, such as size and roof type, that those materials afford. Though correlational in nature, the findings illustrate a potential role of material constraints in shaping religious architecture and practices, as well as the embeddedness of religious life in its material and spatial context.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100231"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144556880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Introduction to the special issue: Interdisciplinary insights to more fully grasp dehumanization","authors":"Alexander P. Landry , Katrina Fincher","doi":"10.1016/j.cresp.2024.100209","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cresp.2024.100209","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72748,"journal":{"name":"Current research in ecological and social psychology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100209"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}