Christopher Wolsko

Intergroup Contact: Effects on Group Evaluations and Perceived Variability:

We argue that the two different components of group perceptions, namely group evaluations and perceptions of group variability, are affected by intergroup contact in rather different ways. Consistent with considerable existing research in the contact literature, we show that intergroup contact results in more positive target group evaluations, so long as the contact is cooperative and relatively pleasant. On the other hand, consistent with laboratory work in stereotype change, we show that changes in perceptions of group variability as a function of contact occur only when the contact is with someone who disconfirms the group stereotype but who is nevertheless regarded as typical of the group.

Stress, coping, and well-being among the Yup`ik of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: the role of enculturation and acculturation

Objectives. To report on the relationships between cultural identity and stress, coping, and psychological well-being in Yup`ik communities. Study Design. A quantitative self-administered questionnaire. Methods. A health and wellness survey was completed by a total of 488 Yup`ik participants (284 women and 204 men) from 6 rural villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region. Respondents were fairly equally distributed across an age range of 14 to 94 (mean +/- SD = 38.50 +/- 17.18). Results. Participants who reported living more of a Kass`aq way of life (greater acculturation) reported experiencing greater psychosocial stress, less happiness, and greater use of drugs and alcohol to cope with stress. Participants who reported identifying more with a traditional Yup`ik way of life reported greater happiness, more frequent use of religion and spirituality to cope with stress, and less frequent use of drugs and alcohol to cope with stress. Conclusions. In conjunction with previous research, the data strongly indicates that in general, Yup`ik people in the Y-K Delta tend to associate stress and negative health outcomes with the process of acculturation, and health and healing with the process of enculturation. Research that focuses on documenting the intrinsic strengths of indigenous worldviews may contribute to positive transformations in community health.

A culture gap in the United States: Implications for policy on limiting access to firearms for suicidal persons

Suicide is a critical public health problem worldwide. In the United States (US), firearm ownership is common, and firearms account for the majority of deaths by suicide. While suicide prevention strategies may include limiting access to firearms, the contentious nature of gun regulations in the US, particularly among members of rural communities, often gives rise to constitutional concerns and political polarization that could inhibit suicidal persons from seeking the help they need. We examine potential outcomes of public health strategies in the US that encourage limiting access to firearms for populations who both value firearm ownership and are vulnerable to suicide. Based on preliminary results from a firearm safety study, we argue that attempts to limit access to firearms among those at risk of suicide will only succeed when the most affected cultural groups are engaged in collaborative discussions.

Transcribing and Transcending the Ego Reflections on the Phenomenology of Chronic Social Comparison

A humanistic and transpersonal approach to personal growth necessitates careful inquiry into the often pathological world of egoistic functioning—where the psyche is engaged in a continual, defensive, and ruminative effort to assert the uniqueness, power, and positivity of an independent symbolic self. This article describes narrative research, conducted at the beginning of several undergraduate courses in personality theory, in which students (n = 229) were encouraged to introspect into the process of objectifying and evaluating the self. After undergoing brief mindfulness training, individuals spent 1 week journaling about salient upward and downward social comparisons, with particular attention to those experiences that triggered strong feelings of inferiority and superiority. Prototypic journal passages are quoted to illustrate central findings. Participants expressed a remarkably intense array of self-evaluative episodes, particularly along the dimensions of physical appearance and intellect. Discussion focuses on the very high frequency of social comparisons reported, the cyclical nature of self-evaluation and its implications for persistent suffering, and the spontaneous experiences of insight into ego transcendence and deeper levels of self-awareness. This work advances the humanistic project by detailing a novel mechanism for facilitating self-realization in an educational context.

Addressing the Cultural Challenges of Firearm Restriction in Suicide Prevention: A Test of Public Health Messaging to Protect Those at Risk

Objectives. Reducing access to firearms as a suicide prevention strategy is limited in the US today because of divergent cultural attitudes and political contentiousness surrounding gun restrictions. This research examined the effects of culturally-specific suicide prevention messages on the likelihood of restricting firearm access during periods of suicide risk. Methods. Focus groups and key informant interviews were conducted with rural gun owners in order to develop a suicide prevention message that highlighted the importance of restricting access to firearms during periods of risk without threatening second amendment concerns. The effectiveness of this gun culture message, relative to standard suicide prevention messaging and a control condition, was then tested with a national sample of gun owners. Results. Relative to all other conditions, respondents who received our culturally-specific message in conjunction with standard suicide prevention content reported the greatest likelihood of taking steps to restrict access to firearms. This tendency was enhanced for individuals who were more politically conservative, lived in more rural areas, and supported gun rights to a stronger degree. Conclusions. Findings underscore the importance of attending to cultural factors in public health messaging. Messaging that respects the values of gun owners could hold promise in promoting firearm restriction for suicide prevention.

Systems of Access: A Multidisciplinary Strategy for Assessing the Social Dimensions of Sustainability

Abstract The concept of access to natural resources has been a specific concern of economists and ecologists and is a distinct component in recent models of social sustainability. Using a series of conceptual and empirical examples, this article extends the notion of access broadly to social institutions and sociocultural norms. We argue that access may be usefully construed as an analytic tool that has direct applicability to many sustainability issues as it allows for crossdisciplinary and public engagement. Here the concept of access, linked to Amartya Sen’s theory of capabilities, also makes visible the multi-scaled and interconnected social processes that influence the material world and from which certain individuals and communities are excluded. This article examines access as a set of culturally appropriate and equitable engagements that promote social sustainability with a series of four examples: access to actions necessary to reclaim a polluted river; access to restorative natural environments; access to information and research findings; and access to decision-making processes. Insights from these examples are integrated within the wider discourse on sustainability.