Christine Roland-Lévy

A positional and representational analysis of consumption. Households when facing debt and credit

Abstract Based on Doise’s conceptualisation of social representations as organising principles, this project studied the organisation and the content of the social representation of consumption in order to understand peoples financial behaviour when dealing with credit and loans. In the framework of an extensive survey concerning the impact of specific family structures and the processes involved in becoming indebted, 50 semi-structured interviews were conducted regarding consumption, debt and family budget management. Three categories of people with various social characteristics (different social status, area of residence) and with different degrees of indebtedness were interviewed. Different characteristics of the financial arrangements of households were measured. Multidimensional scaling on these data showed a specific configuration revealing (i) three factors of social differentiation related to dimensions such as wealth, social use of loans and savings, (ii) four sub-groups of subjects according to their position on these factors and their specific use of savings and loans. The analysis of the subjects’ positions in this space led to a typology of households. Finally, the subjects’ positions and representations were analysed simultaneously in order to link the social categories of subjects with representational variations.

Are Competition and Extrinsic Motivation Reliable Predictors of Academic Cheating

Previous studies suggest that extrinsic motivation and competition are reliable predictors of academic cheating. The aim of the present questionnaire study was to separate the effects of motivation- and competition-related variables on academic cheating by Hungarian high school students (N = 620, M = 264, F = 356). Structural equation modeling showed that intrinsic motivation has a negative effect, and amotivation has a positive indirect effect on self-reported academic cheating. In contrast, extrinsic motivation had no significant effect. Indirect positive influence on cheating, based on some characteristics of hypercompetition, was also found, whereas attitudes toward self-developmental competition had a mediated negative influence. Neither constructive nor destructive competitive classroom climate had a significant impact on academic dishonesty. Acceptance of cheating and guilt has significant and direct effect on self-reported cheating. In comparison with them, the effects of motivational and competition-related variables are relatively small, even negligible. These results suggest that extrinsic motivation and competition are not amongst the most reliable predictors of academic cheating behavior.

Economic socialization: Basis for international comparisons

Abstract The aim of this article is to discuss some theoretical backgrounds concerning childrens development and socialization, particularly centered on economic socialization; this paper also describes how an international comparative research project reached maturity. The joint object is to investigate, through cross-cultural comparisons, a general picture of childrens economic socialization throughout the world. Common points and differences according to specific social, economical and political situations in the countries are brought to the fore by an international comparative research project. A common method based on interviews centered on economic understanding, economic reasoning and economic attitudes was applied in 15 different countries.

Under threat. Lay thinking about terrorism and the three-dimensional model of personal involvement: a social psychological analysis

After distinguishing between acts of terrorism and terrorist risk from a social psychological perspective, this paper focuses on the lay thinking about terrorism. We suggest an analysis carried out at the ideological/positional level of explanation, as opposed to the intra/interindividual level. This analysis is based on the Theory of Social Representations and its specific methodologies. It is supported by an empirical study completed on the airports of Marseilles‐Provence (France) and Boston‐Logan (United States). The study compared the lay thinking about terrorism among participants who had different levels of anti‐terrorism practice (French safety officers vs. French passengers) and of personal involvement (US vs. French passengers). The social representation of safety officers had a more practical orientation. In contrast, for passengers, the lay thinking about terrorism was normative in nature and displayed a salient affective component. Moreover, in the group of US passengers, who reported higher scores of personal involvement, the element ‘Muslims’ appeared as central for defining terrorism. These empirical results illustrated a theoretical proposal according to which, in conflict, threat, or crisis situations, and in the absence of practice, high personal involvement may favour the expression of lay thinking through a more narrow, radical, collective and mobilising form, the nexus, rather than through social representations.

A cross-national comparison of Algerian and French children's economic socialization

Abstract The aim of this article is to compare childrens economic socialization in two different countries and to highlight some of the major common points and differences, taking into account the social, economic and political situation in the two countries. From the analysis which follows it appears that the development of economic concepts among Algerian children is very similar to that of French children. Nevertheless, Algerian children have a better understanding of prices, monetary exchanges, of the general economic mechanism of production and profit, and of the functioning and role of their social-economic system, particularly of their governments influence concerning employment and unemployment. French children tend to be more often unable to answer the questions but when they do answer they give a wider range of responses; they seem to have a better understanding and reasoning about the purpose of taxes, seeing them both from the point of view of the individual and of society.

Hard-Earned Income and Tax Compliance: A Survey in Eight Nations

Is the effort invested to achieve taxable income a relevant factor for tax compliance? If the value of income increases with the effort exerted, reluctance to pay taxes should be high. On the other hand, if income is perceived as compensation for one’s endeavor, there is too much at stake to take the risk of being audited and paying a fine. Consequently, tax evasion should be more likely if income was obtained easily. These contradicting predictions were tested in a questionnaire study with samples from eight countries (Australia, Austria, England, France, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland; N = 1,223). Results show that the effort exerted to obtain taxable income and the aspiration level matter in compliance decisions. Hard-earned money is more likely to be reported honestly to tax authorities, particularly if the aspiration level can be satisfied by honest tax reporting.

Cognitive Appraisals of Stereotype Threat

Using the cognitive appraisal conceptualisation of the transactional model of stress, the goal was to assess how victims of stereotype threat respond to this situation in terms of primary appraisals (threat/challenge) and to investigate whether those appraisals may mediate the relation between stereotype threat and performance. Results show that, while participants from North Africa living in France did appraise the situation more as a threat and less as a challenge, only challenge appraisal mediated between stereotype threat and performance.

Elevated romantic love and jealousy if relationship status is declared on Facebook

Declared relationship status on Facebook can serve as a public commitment and as an extra layer of a couple’s security. However, the question arises: do those who report the relationship status feel stronger romantic love and jealousy toward their partners than those who do not share such information publicly? To test this assumption, profile information and questionnaire data of romantic love and jealousy were gathered from 292, 230 females) respondents that were in a relationship. Our results suggest that announcing the relationship status is associated with elevated romantic love and jealousy. Therefore, being “Facebook official” can be interpreted as a tie-sign indicating that the couple is “out of the market,” and can promote their unity as a “digital wedding ring.”

Wellbeing and occupational risk perception among health care workers: a multicenter study in Morocco and France

BackgroundThe study analyzes health care workers’ (HCWs) occupational risk perception and compares exposure to occupational risk factors in Moroccan and French hospitals.MethodAcross nine public hospitals from three Moroccan regions (north, center and south), a 49 item French questionnaire, based on the Job Content Questionnaire, and 4 occupational risks subscales, was distributed to 4746 HCWs. Internal consistency of the study was determined for each subscale. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the Moroccan questionnaire. Psychosocial job demand, job decision latitude and social support scores analysis was used to isolate high strain jobs. Occupational risks and high strain perception correlation were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. A comparative analysis between Moroccan and French (Nantes Hospitals) investigations data was performed.ResultsIn Morocco, 2863 HCWs (60 %) answered the questionnaire (54 % women; mean age 40 years; mean work seniority 11 years; 24 % physicians; 45 % nurses). 44 % Moroccan HCWs are at high strain. Casablanca region (1.75 OR; CI: 1.34–2.28), north Morocco (1.66 OR; CI: 1.27–2.17), midwives (2.35 OR; 95 % CI 1.51–3.68), nursing aides (1.80 OR; 95 % CI: 1.09–2.95), full-time employment (1.34 OR; 95 % CI 1.06–1.68); hypnotics, sedatives use (1.48 OR; 95 % CI 1.19–1.83), analgesics use (1.40 OR; 95 % CI 1.18–1.65) were statistically associated to high strain. 44% Moroccan HCWs are at high strain versus 37 % French (Nantes) HCWs (p < 0.001).ConclusionMoroccan HCWs have high strain activity. Moroccan HCWs and more Moroccan physicians are at high strain than Nantes HCWs. Moroccan and French’s results showed that full time workers, midwives, workers using hypnotics, and analgesics are at high strain. Our findings underscore out the importance of implementing a risk prevention plan and even a hospital reform. Further research, with an enlarged study pool will provide more information on psychosocial risks (PSR) and HCWs’ health.

Changing Conspiracy Beliefs through Rationality and Ridiculing

Conspiracy theory (CT) beliefs can be harmful. How is it possible to reduce them effectively? Three reduction strategies were tested in an online experiment using general and well-known CT beliefs on a comprehensive randomly assigned Hungarian sample (N = 813): exposing rational counter CT arguments, ridiculing those who hold CT beliefs, and empathizing with the targets of CT beliefs. Several relevant individual differences were measured. Rational and ridiculing arguments were effective in reducing CT, whereas empathizing with the targets of CTs had no effect. Individual differences played no role in CT reduction, but the perceived intelligence and competence of the individual who conveyed the CT belief-reduction information contributed to the success of the CT belief reduction. Rational arguments targeting the link between the object of belief and its characteristics appear to be an effective tool in fighting conspiracy theory beliefs.