Neoliberal Economic Policies’ Effects on Perceptions of Social Justice and Sociopolitical Participation in Portugal

Contemporary societies challenge long-standing projects of the “good society” and social equality through neoliberal economic policies. Social forms of uncertainty generated by financial deprivation, precarity, and inequality seem to have effects on agency and coping and so socioeconomic and psychological consequences. This study aims to test these relationships, as well as a hypothesis on the potential impact of these constructs on beliefs of sociopolitical control and social dominance, which have implications for social justice. A mediation model explores the effects of financial access (the manifest benefit of work) on psychosocial uncertainty (which reflects the perception of uncertainty in the social context and the experience of its consequences within work, relationships, and the adoption of self-defeating beliefs) and on emotional coping strategies towards uncertainty, and their effects on personal agency, sociopolitical control (SPC), and social dominance orientation (SDO). Data are derived from a study of 633 participants in Portugal. Although personal agency is influenced by financial access and psychosocial uncertainty, it is not proved as a significant mediator for SPC and SDO. Nevertheless, financial access, psychosocial uncertainty, and emotional coping significantly contribute to the model, supporting the hypothesis that financial access protects against psychosocial uncertainty. Both have an impact on SPC and SDO. Therefore, financial deprivation and psychosocial uncertainty potentially contribute to extremism and populism in societies characterised by socially created forms of uncertainty. Implications of results for psychological intervention, namely in vocational/professional counselling, are discussed.

Development of a Scale to Measure Intrapersonal Psychological Empowerment to Participate in Local Tourism Development: Applying the Sociopolitical Control Scale Construct to Tourism (SPCS-T)

Future tourism development must be guided by thoughtful and effective policies that represent the interests of a majority of community members to maximize the positive and minimize the negative impact on communities. Effective policies rely on the support of an engaged citizenry made up of residents who feel psychologically empowered. The primary purpose of this study was to develop a topic-specific measure of sociopolitical control in order to provide a reliable quantitative tool to evaluate tourism development in host communities. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded indices of an acceptable model fit that support the construct validity of a revised Sociopolitical Control Scale for Tourism (SPCS-T). The present study provides empirical evidence that policymakers and researchers interested in gauging support for future tourism policies can successfully apply the SPCS-T in the tourism context.

Dangerous Worldview and Perceived Sociopolitical Control: Two Mechanisms to Understand Trust in Authoritarian Political Leaders in Economically Threatening Contexts

In this research we analyzed the relationship between threatening economic contexts (i.e., undergoing the economic crisis and having low socioeconomic status) and trust in authoritarian ideologies and leaders, regardless of the left–right political axis. Based on two theoretical approaches (i.e., the dual-process model and the compensatory control model), we argue that this relationship is mediated by dangerous worldview and low perceived sociopolitical control. We conducted two correlational studies with samples of the general population. In Study 1 (N = 185), we found that perceived threat from the economic crisis and low socioeconomic status were correlated with a higher dangerous worldview, which resulted in a more authoritarian ideology (i.e., authoritarianism) and finally in greater trust in an authoritarian political leader. In Study 2 (N = 413), we replicated the findings of Study 1 and demonstrated that low perceived sociopolitical control was associated with higher authoritarianism. Moreover, low perceived sociopolitical control partially mediated the relationship between dangerous worldview and authoritarianism. Overall, our results show that two economically threatening contexts (i.e., the economic crisis and low socioeconomic status) promote authoritarianism and trust in authoritarian leaders (with unspecified political orientation) through psychological processes (i.e., perception of the social world and perceived control). These results are useful to understand and combat the rise of authoritarianism in our societies during financially difficult times such as economic crises.

Measuring Intrapersonal Psychological Empowerment and Ethnic Identity: Highlighting Strengths of Urban Black Girls

Limited research has examined intrapersonal psychological empowerment (PE) among Black girls solely. This study aims to fill a gap in empowerment literature by examining the factor structure of the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) among Black girls ( N = 377) between the ages of 14–17 years old. We also examine the association with ethnic identity as a conceptually related variable. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the factorial validity of the abbreviated, eight-item SPCS-Y among Black girls. Results support the two-dimensional factor structure of the abbreviated SPCS-Y among Black girls, as well as the association intrapersonal PE has with ethnic identity. Findings provide preliminary support for the empirical and theoretical relationship between intrapersonal PE and ethnic identity among Black girls.

Walk This Way: Ingroup Norms Determine Voting Intentions for Those Who Lack Sociopolitical Control

Even though taking part in elections is one of the most direct tools to influence the socio-political system, many people choose not to vote. Research shows that this problem is especially prevalent among those citizens who do not believe they have control over social and political issues, but the question remains as to what could encourage their voting behavior. We predicted that individuals who experience low levels of control can be more susceptible to ingroup norms regarding participation in political elections than those with a high sense of control. Across five studies we found consistent support for this hypothesis. Specifically, people who experience decreased sociopolitical control were more likely to vote when descriptive norms (measured or manipulated) were conducive to voting. The results have important theoretical and applied implications, illuminating the boundary conditions under which people deprived of control can participate in a political sphere.

Driving Force of Grassroots Self-governance in Beijing’s Neighborhoods: Social Capital, Community Network and Community Service Motivation

Placed at the bottom of China’s urban governance system, residents’ committees led by street offices are not only responsible for welfare provision but also imposing sociopolitical control on residents at grassroots society. With a large number of floating population flooding into Beijing in recent years, the demographic structure of its neighborhoods becomes increasingly diversified, which is likely to cause some latent social instabilities. Consequently, more and more residents’ committees are authorized to establish community work stations to underpin the function of grassroots governance and shift administrative responsibilities from superior governments. Since urban neighborhoods in China are actually an acquaintance society in the “differential mode of association (差序格局)”, the self-enforcement and self-governance of community work station depends on acquaintanceship and interaction between local residents, residents’ committees and community work stations. This article intends to explore the operation of grassroots self-governance by a case of Panjiayuan Neighborhood in Chaoyang District of Beijing. The empirical study based on mixed methods of qualitative interview and quantitative survey has revealed that community work stations led by resident’s committees is an arena of self-governance and its operational mechanism is driven by social capital under the mediator of community network, within which social capital will be accumulated and proliferated in the neighborhood, and resident’s motivation for voluntary cooperation will be intensified as well.

Pathways to Armenian Youth Empowerment in Low Socioeconomic Communities: Indirect Effects of Parenting and Moderating Effects of Gender

This study evaluated self-esteem and emotional regulation as possible mediators of the relationship between authoritative parenting and sociopolitical control in 240 low socioeconomic youths, aged 10 to 16 years ( M = 12.48 years, SD = 1.33 years; 122 males, 118 females). Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing their self-esteem, emotional regulation, perception of sociopolitical control, and perceptions of their parents’ supportive parenting and behavior monitoring. The relationship between authoritative parenting and perception of sociopolitical control was mediated by self-esteem and emotional regulation cognitive reappraisal skills. The relationship between authoritative parenting and self-esteem was moderated by gender, in that, authoritative parenting was more predictive of self-esteem in male youth than female youth. This research identifies the importance of family interventions designed to increase authoritative parenting for youth from low socioeconomic communities, and highlights the need to identify other factors that may be important for the development of sociopolitical control in female youth.