Tiziana Mancini

The role of ingroup threat and conservative ideologies on prejudice against immigrants in two samples of Italian adults

ABSTRACT This research investigated the relationship among perception of ingroup threats (realistic and symbolic), conservative ideologies (social dominance orientation [SDO] and right-wing authoritarianism [RWA]), and prejudice against immigrants. Data were collected with a cross-sectional design in two samples: non-student Italian adults (n = 223) and healthcare professionals (n = 679). Results were similar in both samples and indicated that symbolic and realistic threats, as well as SDO and RWA, positively and significantly predicted anti-immigrant prejudice. Moreover, the model considering SDO and RWA as mediators of threats’ effects on prejudice showed a better fit than the model in which ingroup threats mediated the effects of SDO and RWA on prejudice against immigrants. Accordingly, SDO and RWA partially mediated the effect of both symbolic and realistic threats, which maintained a significant effect on prejudice against immigrants, however.

The role of professional and team commitments in nurse–physician collaboration

AIM To analyse the effect of both professional and care unit commitments on attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration between nurses and physicians. BACKGROUND The effects of both professional and care unit commitment on inter-professional collaboration have not been taken into account together, and previous research has analysed only one profession at a time, neglecting the nurse-physician comparison. METHOD A cross-sectional survey of 138 physicians and 359 nurses was used. RESULTS For physicians, professional commitment decreased attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration whereas care unit commitment had a positive influence. Conversely, for nurses, the professional commitment had a significant positive effect on attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration whereas care unit commitment had no significant effect. CONCLUSION Intergroup relations affect the extent to which nurses and physicians are inclined to engage in interprofessional collaboration. Professional and care unit commitments had different effects on attitude toward the inter-professional collaboration of nurses and physicians. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Inter-professional collaboration is affected by the relationship between physicians and nurse at the professional group level. Managers who want to change and improve inter-professional collaboration should pay close attention to the interplay between changes they are introducing and well-established identities and practices between professionals.

School moral atmosphere and normative orientation to explain aggressive and transgressive behaviours at secondary school

The school moral atmosphere refers to informal norms and values that regulate the relationships in school and their degree of sharing among students. We tested whether the school moral atmosphere is a mediating variable between adolescents’ normative orientation and their self-reported aggressive and transgressive behaviours. A total of 664 Italian students (age range 15–21, M = 17.06, SD = 1.15) filled out a questionnaire to measure their perception of: (1) school moral atmosphere, (2) normative orientation and (3) frequency of aggressive and transgressive behaviours at school. Normative orientation and school moral atmosphere were good predictors of both aggressive and transgressive behaviours. Normative orientation was proved as a direct explicative variable with transgressive behaviours as dependent variable, but an indirect variable with aggressive behaviours as dependent. In this case the relation was mediated by the school moral atmosphere, confirming previous results. Educational implications are discussed.

An extention of the school moral atmosphere construct, and its association with aggressive behaviours in secondary school

The first aim of this research is to introduce and to validate the new concept of School Normative Context, that revisits the concept of School Moral Atmosphere studied by Brugman and his colleagues through the SMAQ (1999) and validated also in the Italian context (Mancini & Fruggeri, 2005). The School Normative Context entails two new aspects: The first one concerns the interactive dimension of each specific school context and the second one concerns the perception of responsibility (internal vs, external) in the implementation of the norm. The second aim is to study the relation among adolescents perception of School Normative Context, adolescents’ orientation towards social rules and their aggressive behaviours against classmates at school. 268 students (mean age 17,01) attending three Italian high schools of three different educational levels (Lyceum, technical and professional) participated in this research. They filled a questionnaire composed of three parts: School Normative Context Questionnaire (SNC), Normative Orientation Scale (NOS) and Aggression Scale (Orpinas, Frankowski, 2001). School Normative Context has shown an acceptable degree of conceptual and predictive validity. The research has shown that the School Normative Context has an influence on the aggressive behaviours against classmates. Furthermore, it is a mediating factor between the adolescents’ orientation towards social norms and their aggressive behaviours at school.RésuméLe premier objectif de cette recherche est d’introduire et de valider le concept de Contexte Normatif Scolaire (CNS). Ce nouveau concept, développé à partir de la notion d’Atmosphère Morale Scolaire proposée et étudiée par Brugman et collaborateurs (1999), se distingue cependant de cette dernière à deux égards: l’étude du CNS s’appuie, d’une part, sur l’analyse des dimensions interactives relatives à chaque contexte scolaire considéré et, d’autre part, sur la perception de responsabilité s’agissant de l’application des règles sociales.Le deuxième objectif concerne l’étude des liens entre la perception du CNS de la part des adolescents, leur orientation à l’égard des règles sociales et leurs comportements agressifs envers leurs camarades de classes. La recherche a été conduite par le biais d’un questionnaire soumis à 268 élèves (âge moyen: 17,01 ans) provenant de trois écoles supérieures italiennes (un Lycée, une école technique et une école professionnelee). Le questionnaire comprend trois parties différentes. La première est finalisée à l’étude du CNS, la seconde vise à l’évaluation de l’orientation normaltive (NOS) et la troisième permet d’évaluer les comportements agressifs (Orpinas & Frankowski, 2001).Le Contexte Normatif Scolaire a montré un niveau acceptable de validité aussi bien conceptuelle que prédictive. Les résultats ont montré que le Contexte Normatif Scolaire influence les comportements agressifs envers les camarades d’école et qu’il intervient comme facteur de médiation entre l’orientation des adolescents à l’égard des règles sociales et leurs compotements agressifs à l’école.

Does contact at work extend its influence beyond prejudice? Evidence from healthcare settings

ABSTRACT This article reports on two studies investigating the role of intergroup contact on the reduction of prejudice against migrants and on organizational and health outcomes. Study 1 enrolled 624 native healthcare professionals and showed that frequent and positive contact with non-native co-workers was associated with a decrease in the professionals’ prejudice and an increase in the professionals’ perception of team functioning. These effects were mediated by reduced in-group threat perception. Study 2 enrolled 201 native patients and showed that frequent and positive contact with non-native healthcare providers was associated with a decrease in patients’ prejudice and an increase in patients’ satisfaction for the care received. These effects were mediated by reduced in-group threat perception. These novel findings showed that frequent and positive contact with non-native individuals can improve health and organizational outcomes along with facilitating positive intergroup relations.

Psychosocial dynamics affecting health and social care of forced migrants: a narrative review

Purpose – Through the overview of studies on social representations of forced migrants (socio-cultural level of analysis), the purpose of this paper is to highlight how the variables implicated at the macro levels of analysis may affect the way social and health workers relate to and care for forced migrants (inter-personal level of analysis), as well as the settlement process of forced migrants and their identity reconstruction during the post-migration period. Design/methodology/approach – The narrative review analyses empirical studies from peer-reviewed journals in the field of social psychology that address forced migration. Indeed, the framework used for analysing this literature is the interplay within different levels of analysis, as proposed by Willem Doise’s (1982) using the socio-psychological approach. Findings – Psychosocial factors play influential roles on structuring the way natives health and social professionals relate with forced migrants: among others, needs related to possible traumat...

Misurare la cultura della sicurezza: primo adattamento italiano del Safety Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ)

L’obiettivo dello studio e fornire un primo adattamento al contesto sanitario italiano del Safety Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ), uno strumento largamente utilizzato nel contesto anglosassone per misurare la cultura della sicurezza. La versione italiana, tradotta e adattata dall’originale inglese, e stata somministrata a 660 professionisti sanitari (infermieri, ostetrici e fisioterapisti) provenienti da diverse aziende ospedaliere della Regione Emilia Romagna e impegnati in aree di lavoro diverse (Medicina, Chirurgia, Materno-Infantile e Sale Operatorie). I risultati hanno mostrato una struttura fattoriale solo in parte simile a quella originale. Tre fattori sono stati, infatti, estratti: un fattore Prossimale all’agire quotidiano (clima di sicurezza e clima di lavoro), un fattore Distale alla pratica professionale (organizzazione dell’azienda) e un fattore di Stress. Essi riaccorpano i sei riscontrati nelle ricerche condotte in altri paesi e mostrano una buona validita di contenuto, indici di adattamento accettabili e invarianza strutturale tra le tre diverse aree di provenienza delle unita operative. Seppure preliminari, i risultati evidenziano alcune specificita che richiamano ai significati che la cultura della sicurezza assume nel contesto italiano.

Pratiche interattive tra operatori e migranti forzati in uno SPRAR italiano

Lo studio si e focalizzato sulle pratiche interattive tra operatori e utenti migranti forzati all’interno di un’associazione che gestisce progetti di accoglienza per richiedenti asilo e rifugiati. Nello specifico, ci si e posti l’obiettivo di cogliere le diverse configurazioni relazionali che emergevano dall’interazione tra domande degli operatori e risposte degli utenti migranti forzati in 18 colloqui di consultazione giuridica (N = 6), di consultazione sanitaria (N = 6) e di consultazione sociale (N = 6). Il corpus dei dati audio-registrati e letteralmente trascritti e stato sottoposto ad un’analisi sequenziale delle interazioni codificando le sequenze (domanda dell’operatore e risposta dell’utente) in una lista di comportamenti comunicativi costruita adattando lo schema del modello terapeutico di Grasso e collaboratori (2004). Indipendentemente dalla tipologia di colloquio considerato, i risultati hanno evidenziato alcuni pattern di concordanza tra pratiche agite dagli operatori e comportamenti degli utenti. Essi mettono in luce che quando gli operatori tendevano ad usare modalita interattive volte a dirigere il percorso del migrante forzato dentro le trame burocratiche imposte dall’accoglienza, il comportamento comunicativo dell’utente si strutturava in una configurazione passiva a volte acquiescente e a volte collaborativa; quando, invece, pur dentro al percorso imposto dal sistema, gli operatori proponevano spazi di ascolto, di apertura e negoziazione, i migranti assumevano ruoli piu attivi, seppure a volte ambivalenti, dimostrando il bisogno di essere ascoltati non solo come utenti ma anche in quanto persone.

Does the readiness for interprofessional education reflect students' dominance orientation and professional commitment? Evidence from a sample of nursing students

BACKGROUND Interprofessional education is an important factor in facilitating subsequent interprofessional collaboration. Therefore, implementing this teaching strategy is important to increase the chances that future professionals will work effectively together. Group membership, status and the power differential among professional groups are factors that can hinder both interprofessional education and collaboration. From a psychosocial point of view, interprofessional education may be described as an intergroup context in which members of different status groups interact. It involves at least two main psychosocial processes: commitment to the profession and acceptance or challenge of interprofessional hierarchy. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this research was to analyse the effects of professional commitment and social dominance orientation on attitudes toward interprofessional education. DESIGN A cross-sectional design was conducted. PARTICIPANTS A total of 137 nursing science students from an Italian university were enrolled in this research. METHODS Participants were surveyed using a questionnaire measuring attitudes toward interprofessional education, professional commitment and social dominance orientation. RESULTS The more that students showed social dominance orientation, the less they were willing to engage in interprofessional education. This effect was qualified by an interaction with professional commitment. When professional commitment was higher, social dominance orientation was weakly related to attitude toward interprofessional learning. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that there is a belief that professional hierarchy is deserved and that this may decrease a nursing students engagement in interprofessional education; however, this may be contrasted by an increased professional commitment.

How to reduce intergroup hostility in virtual contexts: The role of alts in decreasing intergroup bias in World of Warcraft

Abstract This survey investigated the effect of having multiple and crossed social identities on the relationship between ingroup commitment and intergroup bias in a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). The survey involved 315 World of Warcraft players, who were asked to indicate the faction to whom their main avatar belonged and how many of their non-main avatars (alts) belonged to the same or to the other faction. Commitment to the faction of the main avatar, and faction (ingroup) over other faction (outgroup) favouritism were evaluated. Results confirmed that faction commitment increased bias against the outgroup faction. The number of alts belonging to the other faction moderated the relationship between faction commitment and intergroup bias, showing that faction commitment was more strongly associated with intergroup bias when the number of outgroup alts was low. Results are discussed in the light of social identity theory and of the role that multiple crossed social identities could have in preventing negative outcomes such as social discrimination and aggressive behaviours in MMORPGs, thus improving virtual community wellbeing.