Piergiorgio Mossi

Symbolic universes between present and future of Europe: First results of the map of European societies’ cultural milieu

This paper reports the framework, method and main findings of an analysis of cultural milieus in 4 European countries (Estonia, Greece, Italy, and UK). The analysis is based on a questionnaire applied to a sample built through a two-step procedure of post-hoc random selection from a broader dataset based on an online survey. Responses to the questionnaire were subjected to multidimensional analysis–a combination of Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis. We identified 5 symbolic universes, that correspond to basic, embodied, affect-laden, generalized worldviews. People in this study see the world as either a) an ordered universe; b) a matter of interpersonal bond; c) a caring society; d) consisting of a niche of belongingness; e) a hostile place (others’ world). These symbolic universes were also interpreted as semiotic capital: they reflect the capacity of a place to foster social and civic development. Moreover, the distribution of the symbolic universes, and therefore social and civic engagement, is demonstrated to be variable across the 4 countries in the analysis. Finally, we develop a retrospective reconstruction of the distribution of symbolic universes as well as the interplay between their current state and past, present and future socio-institutional scenarios.

Meaning and risk. The role of subjective cultures in the evaluation of hazardous behaviours

Diversi studi evidenziano come gruppi sociali differenti esprimano valutazioni eterogenee su cosa sia rischio e su quale sia la natura dei comportamenti accettabili. Inscrivendosi entro una prospettiva culturale, il presente studio verifica l’ipotesi che le culture soggettive con cui le persone interpretano il proprio ruolo e il proprio ambiente sociale impattano la grandezza del rischio percepito in relazione a differenti comportamenti: consumo di sostanze (alcol, droghe pesanti, marjuana o nicotina), uso di internet e gioco d’azzardo. Lo studio ha coinvolto 198 studenti universitari del sud-est di Italia. Ai rispondenti e stato chiesto di valutare il rischio connesso a ciascun comportamento target, in tre domini: salute, relazioni e approvazione/stigma sociale. L’Analisi in Componenti Principali ha consentito di identificare due dimensioni fattoriali per ciascun dominio: sul piano della salute, i rispondenti esprimono differenti valutazioni del rischio associato al consumo di sostanze o a determinati comportamenti; sul piano delle relazioni, le differen¬ziazioni concernono i comportamenti socializzati e non socializzati; sul piano dell’approvazione sociale, i comportamenti leciti o illeciti. Il questionario sull’Interpretazione dell’Ambiente Sociale (Mossi e Salvatore, 2011) e stato somministrato per rilevare le culture soggettive. L’Analisi delle Corrispondenze Multiple ha consentito di identificare le due principali dimensioni di senso che le caratterizzano. Infine, correlazioni di Kendall sono state usate per analizzare il rapporto tra le componenti di valutazione del rischio e le componenti delle culture soggettive. I risultati sostengono l’idea che differenze culturali nel modo di valutare l’ambiente sociale corrispondono a differenti valutazioni del rischio associato a differenti tipologie di comportamento. Saranno discusse le implicazioni per le strategie di intervento.

Symbolic universes between present and future of Europe

This paper reports the framework, method and main findings of an analysis of cultural milieus in 4 European countries (Estonia, Greece, Italy, and UK). The analysis is based on a questionnaire applied to a sample built through a two-step procedure of post-hoc random selection from a broader dataset based on an online survey. Responses to the questionnaire were subjected to multidimensional analysis–a combination of Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis. We identified 5 symbolic universes, that correspond to basic, embodied, affect-laden, generalized worldviews. People in this study see the world as either a) an ordered universe; b) a matter of interpersonal bond; c) a caring society; d) consisting of a niche of belongingness; e) a hostile place (others’ world). These symbolic universes were also interpreted as semiotic capital: they reflect the capacity of a place to foster social and civic development. Moreover, the distribution of the symbolic universes, and therefore social and civic engagement, is demonstrated to be variable across the 4 countries in the analysis. Finally, we develop a retrospective reconstruction of the distribution of symbolic universes as well as the interplay between their current state and past, present and future socio-institutional scenarios.

Symbolic universes between present and future of Europe: First results of the map of European societies’ cultural milieuDe første resultater fra kortet over det europæiske samfundenes kulturmiljø

This paper reports the framework, method and main findings of an analysis of cultural milieus in 4 European countries (Estonia, Greece, Italy, and UK). The analysis is based on a questionnaire applied to a sample built through a two-step procedure of post-hoc random selection from a broader dataset based on an online survey. Responses to the questionnaire were subjected to multidimensional analysis–a combination of Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis. We identified 5 symbolic universes, that correspond to basic, embodied, affect-laden, generalized worldviews. People in this study see the world as either a) an ordered universe; b) a matter of interpersonal bond; c) a caring society; d) consisting of a niche of belongingness; e) a hostile place (others’ world). These symbolic universes were also interpreted as semiotic capital: they reflect the capacity of a place to foster social and civic development. Moreover, the distribution of the symbolic universes, and therefore social and civic engagement, is demonstrated to be variable across the 4 countries in the analysis. Finally, we develop a retrospective reconstruction of the distribution of symbolic universes as well as the interplay between their current state and past, present and future socio-institutional scenarios.

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Psychodynamic Group Intervention (CR-PGI): An Explorative Study

Objective: An explorative study focusing on the process of a Cardiac Rehabilitation Psychodynamic Group Intervention (CR-PGI) addressed to myocardial infarction (MI) patients is discussed. The study aimed at analyzing whether the treatment based on CR-PGI serves as a communicational context within which MI patients are enabled to explore new interpretations of their post-infarction condition. Methods: The intervention, divided into 12 weekly one-hour group sessions, was addressed to MI patients recruited within a Public Hospital of southern Italy. Each session was audio-recorded and lexical correspondence analysis (LCA) was applied to the verbatim transcripts, in order to provide a map of the evolution of the communication exchange occurring over the 12 sessions. Results: The findings showed that the discourses associated to the first eight sessions differed from the discourses of the last four sessions. Two main transitions occurred. The first concerns the response to the infarction, first interpreted as a process of affective elaboration and afterwards as practical management of the functional aspects associated with the condition of MI patients. The second concerns the nature of the change and contrasts a lifestyle-oriented model with a social role approach, which refers to social, legal, and medical practices related to the acknowledgment of being an MI patient. Conclusion: The findings offer preliminary support to the capacity of CR-PGI to work as a context where new meanings for the biographical rupture of the MI can be explored. Consistently with the rationale of the model, the intervention seems to have promoted the emergence of new ways of feeling and understanding one’s condition.