Vulnerability, self-uncertainty, and collective narcissism mediate the relationship between ostracism and conspiracy beliefs: Α representative sample study during the first wave of the pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theofilos Gkinopoulos ◽  
Mete Sefa Uysal

A correlational study (N=895) examined the association between ostracism and endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories, the mediating role of sense of vulnerability, self-uncertainty and collective narcissism and the moderating role of conspiracy mentality. We found that ostracism positively predicted endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories and this association was mediated by sense of vulnerability, self-uncertainty and collective narcissism. Conspiracy mentality moderated the relationship between ostracism with the sense of vulnerability, but not the self-uncertainty nor of the collective narcissism. Our study expands on the still very few and scarce research on ostracism and conspiracy theories, by confirming their relationship in the context of the pandemic, as well as exploring further interrelationships, responding to the recent calls for investigating the mediating role of both individual and group-level variables. Theoretical and societal implications are discussed. Results offer a novel insight in the relationship between ostracism and conspiracy theories focused on COVID-19, advancing our current knowledge and developing their relationship even further.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Bertin ◽  
Kenzo Nera ◽  
Katarzyna Hamer ◽  
Isabella Uhl-Haedicke ◽  
Sylvain Delouvée

Despite the scientific consensus about the anthropogenic nature of climate change, there are still obstacles hindering society from acknowledging the severity of the situation. Notably, previous research suggests that climate change threats can cause people to display ethnocentric reaction to preserve the ingroup’s interests. In this research, we investigate the relation between collective narcissism and attitudes towards climate science. We argue that national collective narcissism is negatively associated with the acceptance of climate science. We further hypothesized that this relation might be mediated by conspiracy beliefs about climate change, because narcissistic identifiers are prone to hold conspiracy beliefs. In a pilot Study (N = 409), we found that national collective narcissism was significantly associated with climate change conspiracy beliefs. In Study 1 (N = 295), climate change conspiracy beliefs mediated the negative relation between national collective narcissism and acceptance of climate science. In Study 2 (N = 375), this mediation was replicated when controlling for other forms of climate skepticism. Lastly, general conspiracy mentality did not mediate this relation, which emphasizes the importance of considering the specificity of climate change conspiracy theories (rather than generic propensity to believe in conspiracy theories) in understanding distrust toward climate science.



Author(s):  
Kumaran Kanapathipillai ◽  
Nur Nadiah Mahbob

The ultimate purpose of this moderated mediation study is to get an in-depth cognition of how stress as a mediator influences the relationship between cyberbullying and employees’ productivity in the manufacturing sector in Malaysia. Additionally, this research scrutinised the moderating effect of co-workers’ support in the manufacturing sector between stress and employees’ productivity. The results of this study ascertained that cyberbullying creates tremendous stress, affecting the employees’ productivity. This research confirms that when stress starts manifesting in employees, it significantly affects the relationship between cyberbullying and the productivity of employees. It was also evident that without stress as the mediating variable, the significant association between cyberbullying and the employees’ productivity would not transpire. Subsequently, the moderating factor co-workers’ support illustrated those fellow employees who render their support could significantly buffer the stress experienced at the workplace and heighten the productivity of their colleagues. Overall, this research has offered precious current knowledge on the significant impact of cyberbullying on employees’ productivity and why management and employees should curtail this heinous act. This research has also revealed the crucial roles co-workers play in shielding their fellow workers from the stress that could hamper their productivity. The manufacturing sector is the backbone of the Malaysian economy; as such, this research could significantly furnish managers with the knowledge of why improving the mutual support among co-workers is vital as it could protect them from the monstrous cyberbullying activities of cybercrooks, increase productivity and eventually create an innocuous work environment. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0893/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>



2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 738-758
Author(s):  
Paul Bertin ◽  
Kenzo Nera ◽  
Katarzyna Hamer ◽  
Isabella Uhl-Haedicke ◽  
Sylvain Delouvée

Despite the scientific consensus about the anthropogenic nature of climate change, there are still obstacles hindering society from acknowledging the severity of the situation. Notably, previous research suggests that climate change threats can cause people to display ethnocentric reactions to preserve the ingroup’s interests. In this research, we investigate the relation between collective narcissism and attitudes towards climate science. We argue that national collective narcissism is negatively associated with the acceptance of climate science. We further hypothesized that this relation might be mediated by conspiracy beliefs about climate change, because narcissistic identifiers are prone to hold conspiracy beliefs. In a pilot study ( N = 409), we found that national collective narcissism was significantly associated with climate change conspiracy beliefs. In Study 1 ( N = 295), climate change conspiracy beliefs mediated the negative relation between national collective narcissism and acceptance of climate science. In Study 2 ( N = 375), this mediation was replicated when controlling for other forms of climate skepticism. Lastly, general conspiracy mentality did not mediate this relation, which emphasizes the importance of considering the specificity of climate change conspiracy theories (rather than generic propensity to believe in conspiracy theories) in understanding distrust of climate science.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theofilos Gkinopoulos ◽  
Stefano Pagliaro ◽  
Sofia Stathi ◽  
Manuel Teresi

In this study, we investigate the effects of (a) group orientation of conspiracy theories and (b) leadership style on moral leadership, as well as the moderating role of right-wing authoritarianism in the relationship between group orientation of conspiracy beliefs and moral leadership and identification with the leader. We manipulated leadership style as democratic and despotic by producing two scenarios respectively, describing the leader of a fictional country. We also manipulated group orientation of conspiracy beliefs by producing a scenario about a conspiracy with the domestic government of the fictional country as the protagonist (in-group conspiracy) or a foreign country as the protagonist of the conspiracy (outgroup conspiracy). A pre-test study (N=100) provided evidence for the efficiency of our experimental manipulations. The main study employed a 2 (in-group vs. outgroup orientation conspiracy theories) x 2 (democratic vs despotic leadership) factorial design (N=480). Results showed that there was a statistically significant main effect of orientation of conspiracy beliefs on moral leadership and identification with the leader, a statistically significant main effect of leadership style and a statistically significant interaction effect between group orientation of conspiracy beliefs and leadership style on moral leadership and identification with the leader. A significant moderating effect of right-wing authoritarianism was found in the relationship between group orientation of conspiracy theories and perceptions of moral leadership and identification with the leader. Discussion focuses on the use of in-group or outgroup orientated conspiracy beliefs in moral leadership practice.



2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rizqy Amelia Zein ◽  
Maghfira Fahmi Arinda ◽  
Audi Ahmad Rikardi

In our three pre-registered studies, we aimed to unravel the root cause and societal implications of belief in Jewish conspiracy theories among Indonesian Muslims. Our findings in Study 1 (N=385) confirmed our predictions that symbolic threat and collective narcissism were strongly related to belief in Jewish conspiracy and mediated the association between religious zeal and Jewish conspiracy beliefs. In Study 2 (N=370), we found that Jewish conspiracy beliefs indirectly predicted vaccination refusal and delay through vaccination conspiracy beliefs, and observed no evidence to confirm the moderating role of religiosity in reinforcing vaccination conspiracy beliefs. In Study 3 (N=396), we replicated our findings in Study 2 that belief in Jewish conspiracy theories was strongly related to vaccination conspiracy belief. Also, participants who blamed the Jews for the coronavirus pandemic were inclined to refuse a coronavirus vaccination when it is available. We argue that religiosity might not be directly related to conspiratorial thinking but, instead, activates a sense of outgroup threats among religious individuals making them more likely to endorse Jewish conspiracy theories. Despite the assumption that Jewish conspiracy theories are somehow benign, our findings dispute this premise.



2021 ◽  
pp. 097215092110556
Author(s):  
Komal Nagar ◽  
Gurmeet Singh ◽  
Rabinder Singh

The present study aims to explore the relationship between social loneliness and online interaction through WhatsApp addiction among a sample of Indian and Fijian respondents. Based on the responses of 202 Indian and 73 Fijian respondents, the present research study validated the mediating role of WhatsApp addiction, revealing that social loneliness increased the possibility of preferring to interact online through increased WhatsApp addiction. The empirical results showed that the underlying mechanism of social loneliness might indirectly influence consumers’ preference for online social interaction (POSI). The study further assessed the moderating role of culture in the association between social loneliness and POSI. Findings of the moderated mediation analysis demonstrated that, the association between loneliness and preference to socialize online differed, based on the identified cultural differences between Indian and Fijian groups.



2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 124-135
Author(s):  
Chongrui Liu ◽  
Cong Wang ◽  
Yan Liu ◽  
Xuran Liu ◽  
Yuan Ni

Abstract. Although leader–member exchange (LMX) has been widely studied, knowledge about how followers influence the LMX process remains unknown. By integrating the broaden-and-build theory (BBT) with the emotion as social information (EASI) theory, we develop a follower-centric multilevel model to investigate how followers' positive emotions have an impact on LMX via the mediating role of leader identification and the moderating role of leaders' positive emotions. We conducted a survey with 319 Chinese employees from 67 teams. The results indicated that leader identification served as a mediating factor in the relationship between followers' positive emotions and LMX. The work unit leaders' positive emotions strengthened the relationship between leader identification and LMX and moderated the mediated relationship among followers' positive emotions, leader identification, and LMX. Altogether, our findings inform new knowledge in terms of how followers may influence the development of LMX. We also help to extend the BBT and the EASI theory to the leadership context.



2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Verboon ◽  
Klaas Schakel ◽  
Karen van Dam

From justice to exhaustion and engagement. The role of affective commitment to the organization From justice to exhaustion and engagement. The role of affective commitment to the organization In two studies the relationship between perceived organizational justice and emotional exhaustion and engagement was studied. Especially, the role of affective commitment to the organization in this relationship was examined. According to the group engagement model of Tyler and Blader (2003), procedural justice will result in positive behavior and attitudes because it increases commitment to the organization, thus implying that affective commitment mediates the relationship of justice with exhaustion and engagement. Conversely, Glazer and Kruse (2008) argue that a strong commitment to the organization can mitigate the effect of stressors, like injustice perceptions, on exhaustion and engagement, implying a moderating effect of commitment. These models were tested in two samples with employees working in a police organization. Both studies supported the mediating role of commitment; no evidence was found for a moderating role of commitment. The implication of these outcomes and the limitations of the study are discussed.



2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Rida Bangash ◽  
Kausar Fiaz Khawaja ◽  
Sumayya Chughtai

User resistance is a complex phenomenon and is considered a major constraint towards the successful implementation and usage of information technology. Hence, in order to investigate the factors that may lead to user resistance; the current study proposes and investigates the mediating role of fear of unknown between lack of change information and end-user grumbling, and the moderating role of emotional regulation between the relationship. Emotional self-regulation theory has been used as an overarching theory that explains the research model proposed and tested in the study. Using a Quantitative approach, the survey was conducted and data was collected from 334 users of FBR systems. With the help of SPSS and MACRO PROCESS, statistical tests were conducted and links were tested. Results revealed that all hypotheses were accepted. Along with these discussions, research implications and recommendations are also provided.



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