Int J Psychol
· 2026 Apr · PMID 41819804
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This study is a replication and extension of previous research which demonstrated that individuals who identified as Vaxxers and Anti-vaxxers during the COVID-19 pandemic differ in several personality traits. We aimed to...This study is a replication and extension of previous research which demonstrated that individuals who identified as Vaxxers and Anti-vaxxers during the COVID-19 pandemic differ in several personality traits. We aimed to further explore personality trait differences between vaccine supporters and opponents. Our study recruited 219 individuals via mTurk who either strongly supported or strongly opposed being vaccinated for COVID-19. Participants completed measures of HEXACO traits honesty-humility and conscientiousness, locus of control, desirability of control, intolerance of uncertainty, generic conspiracy beliefs, and the Dark Triad. Significant differences were found between the groups on measures of generic conspiracy beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty, in the expected directions. These results suggest that vaccine supporters and opponents differ in key personality traits, highlighting the importance of psychological factors in shaping vaccination attitudes. Examining these factors can guide and inform public health interventions and contribute to greater success in vaccination efforts.
While dual-process theory has advanced our understanding of moral decision-making, traditional research has relied heavily on text-based scenarios. These paradigms fail to elicit genuine behavioural responses, thereby ob...While dual-process theory has advanced our understanding of moral decision-making, traditional research has relied heavily on text-based scenarios. These paradigms fail to elicit genuine behavioural responses, thereby obscuring the underlying mechanisms of moral action. The present study employed two experiments to investigate the interactive effects of ego depletion and emotion on moral decision-making, as well as the underlying physiological mechanisms, within a Virtual Reality (VR) environment. Study 1 revealed that, compared to text-based conditions, VR elicited heightened physiological arousal-manifested as accelerated heart rate and respiratory rate-reflecting a state of high somatic engagement. Under low ego depletion, this immersion resulted in increased utilitarian tendencies. However, this facilitating effect of VR was nullified under high ego depletion conditions. Study 2 demonstrated that positive emotion effectively buffers the negative impact of ego depletion on moral decision-making, preserving utilitarian tendencies even under high depletion. These results suggest that moral decision-making in realistic contexts is not a purely cognitive exercise in abstract reasoning; rather, it is a resource-dependent process characterised by a dynamic interplay between cognition, emotion, and situational context. Beyond validating positive emotion as a buffer against cognitive depletion, this study underscores the critical importance of ecological validity.
Apostolou M, Sullman M, Ayers JD
… +16 more, Błachnio A, Choubisa R, Gadelrab HF, Hill T, Kamble S, Lisun Y, Manrique-Millones D, Millones-Rivalles R, Ohtsubo Y, Przepiórka A, Tekeş B, Cruz GV, Wang Y, Watanabe Y, Ghorbani A, Shahrour G
Int J Psychol
· 2026 Apr · PMID 41804198
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People desire friends who have qualities such as similarity, the ability to provide support, opportunities for socialisation, assistance in achieving self-serving goals and access to potential mates. In the current study...People desire friends who have qualities such as similarity, the ability to provide support, opportunities for socialisation, assistance in achieving self-serving goals and access to potential mates. In the current study, we aimed to examine the degree of overlap between the friends people consider ideal and those they actually have. Using a sample of 6224 participants from 12 countries, we found that, across five dimensions of friendship, ideal and actual friendships considerably overlapped and ideal preferences were significant and strong predictors of actual friendships. Still, the overlap between ideal and actual friendships was not complete; rather, a small deficit emerged, with participants getting less of what they wanted. These results were consistent across the 12 countries in our sample. We also found significant effects of the Dark Triad personality traits on several dimensions of friendship.
Bossom IRL, Enouy S, Blais J
… +3 more, Wohl MJA, Pruysers S, Tabri N
Int J Psychol
· 2026 Apr · PMID 41804190
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We investigated the personality correlates of financially focused self-concept, a construct describing individuals who overemphasise financial success as central to their self-definition and self-worth. We examined the u...We investigated the personality correlates of financially focused self-concept, a construct describing individuals who overemphasise financial success as central to their self-definition and self-worth. We examined the unique and shared associations between financially focused self-concept and the Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism) as well as Honesty-Humility at the facet level to provide greater specificity than trait-level analysis. Using cross-sectional data from 1725 Canadian adults who completed validated self-report measures, we conducted commonality analyses. Results revealed significant associations between financially focused self-concept and Machiavellianism facets (antagonism and planfulness), all psychopathy facets, narcissistic vulnerability and lower levels of greed-avoidance and modesty. These findings enhance understanding of the personality profiles of individuals who prioritise financial success excessively.
This study examined the relation between HEXACO personality traits and the experience of everyday boredom. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks concerning both boredom and personality, we particularly focused on the li...This study examined the relation between HEXACO personality traits and the experience of everyday boredom. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks concerning both boredom and personality, we particularly focused on the link and underlying mechanisms of conscientiousness and state boredom. Three studies-two daily diary studies and one experience sampling study-were conducted. Across the three studies, with 401 Chinese participants answering around 5900 daily episodes, the results consistently demonstrated that trait conscientiousness was a negative predictor of everyday boredom. State conscientiousness explained the conscientiousness-boredom relation. More importantly, situational meaning moderated the conscientiousness-boredom relation in the way that conscientious people were less likely to feel bored even in situations that were less meaningful to them. The implications of these findings are discussed.
The growing interest in non-pharmacological adjuncts to psychiatric treatment has brought creative therapies, such as art therapy and music therapy, to the forefront of mental health research. We hypothesized that struct...The growing interest in non-pharmacological adjuncts to psychiatric treatment has brought creative therapies, such as art therapy and music therapy, to the forefront of mental health research. We hypothesized that structured sessions of art therapy, music therapy and their combination, integrated into standard inpatient psychiatric care, would lead to a more significant reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improvement in patients' psycho-emotional state. This study, conducted in Beijing, China, spanning the years 2021-2023, involved the collaboration of two clinics and the participation of 500 patients. To investigate the effectiveness of art therapy and music therapy in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. The patient cohort was stratified into four groups: art therapy (n = 125), music therapy (n = 125) and combined therapy (n = 125). Analytical methodologies encompassed t-tests, ANOVA and correlational analysis. Findings indicated the efficacy of both creative therapies; however, art therapy demonstrated higher satisfaction levels (p < 0.05) among patients preferring a creative outlet. These findings suggest that creative therapies can serve as effective, individualised adjuncts to standard psychiatric care. The study underscores the importance of aligning therapeutic strategies with patient preferences and highlights the need for further research into the mechanisms underlying the benefits of creative modalities.
Research has underscored the importance of parental responses to children's negative emotions (PRCNE) in adolescents' socioemotional development. However, many existing studies relying on regression or structural equatio...Research has underscored the importance of parental responses to children's negative emotions (PRCNE) in adolescents' socioemotional development. However, many existing studies relying on regression or structural equation modelling tend to examine different types of PRCNE separately, rather than modelling their interrelations as parts of an interconnected system. To address this, this study utilised the network approach to examine the roles of various types of PRCNE in Chinese adolescents' socioemotional development with data from 477 Chinese adolescents (M = 13.62 years, 50.73% male). Analysis of PRNCE networks revealed that both maternal and paternal networks exhibited connections among different types of responses. In both maternal and paternal networks, punitive responses had the highest centrality. Analysis of bridge networks connecting PRCEN and adolescent emotional/social outcomes showed that parental responses related to adolescents' emotional and behavioural development differed based on the parent's gender. Bridge analysis showed both paternal and maternal person-minimisation were most central for emotional outcomes, while paternal problem-focussed and maternal emotion-focussed responses were key for adolescent social outcomes. In conclusion, this study revealed gender-specific patterns in how various parental responses are interconnected and associated with adolescents' emotional and social outcomes, underscoring the importance of culturally informed, parent-specific approaches in research and practice.
Using a foreign language can influence moral decisions. However, it was previously unclear whether such a foreign language effect might affect victim blaming. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the use of f...Using a foreign language can influence moral decisions. However, it was previously unclear whether such a foreign language effect might affect victim blaming. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the use of foreign language affects victim blaming and to explore whether this effect is modulated by belief in a just world. The results showed that the type of language significantly influenced victim-blaming behaviour. Specifically, participants in the foreign language group were less likely to blame the victim than those in the native language group. Furthermore, belief in a just world modulated the foreign language effect on victim blaming; that is, the foreign language effect was only observed in the high belief in a just world threat condition. The entire study not only confirms dual-process theory but also highlights the role of individuals' belief in a just world in foreign language effect.
Understanding the co-development of moral personality and beliefs about control over well-being is essential for clarifying how individuals sustain mental health. However, the theoretical linkage between moral personalit...Understanding the co-development of moral personality and beliefs about control over well-being is essential for clarifying how individuals sustain mental health. However, the theoretical linkage between moral personality and beliefs about the causation of well-being remains underexplored. Addressing this gap, the present study examined the reciprocal dynamics between honesty-humility and internal well-being locus of control (Internal WB-LOC). Drawing on four-wave longitudinal data from 1349 Chinese participants, we employed random intercept cross-lagged panel models to investigate these associations. Results demonstrated stable between-person effects, indicating that individuals with high levels of honesty-humility tend to exhibit greater Internal WB-LOC across time. Results also showed concurrent positive associations within individuals and cross-lagged effects, indicating that increases in levels of honesty-humility temporally precede increases in Internal WB-LOC, and vice versa. These findings integrate personality research with belief systems about well-being, suggesting a dynamic interplay in which internalised moral orientation and perceived agency over well-being are mutually reinforcing.
A survey by the IfD Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research yielded that 60% of German deputies to different parliaments (members of the German National Parliament, the State Parliaments and the European Parliam...A survey by the IfD Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research yielded that 60% of German deputies to different parliaments (members of the German National Parliament, the State Parliaments and the European Parliament) consider the social conditions in Germany to be just, while 28% of the population do so. Also, 56% of the population, but 28% of deputies, consider their country unjust. Based on the Justice Motive Theory and research, the current study aimed to explore whether German politicians and the voting public differ in their just-world beliefs and perceptions of justice. These beliefs and perceptions of 116 members of the 18th German National Parliament and 998 citizens (a representative sample of the German population) were analysed by latent structural equation modelling, including randomly drawn subsamples of 116 citizens each. The politicians indicated significantly lower beliefs in a just world, an unjust world, immanent justice, ultimate justice, perceived performance and equality distributive-justice principles than the citizens. However, the citizens indicated a significantly lower belief in justice according to an individual's needs than the participating members of the German national parliament. The findings offer insights into how distributive justice principles are perceived across societal roles.
This study examines how personality traits (Five-Factor Model) and personality metatraits (Circumplex of Personality Metatraits), together with political attitudes, relate to attitudes towards Ukrainian immigrants in Pol...This study examines how personality traits (Five-Factor Model) and personality metatraits (Circumplex of Personality Metatraits), together with political attitudes, relate to attitudes towards Ukrainian immigrants in Poland, providing the first empirical test of the CPM's predictive value in this context. A nationally representative sample of 983 Polish adults was analysed. Measures included personality traits and metatraits, attitudes towards immigrants and political parties, and sociodemographic variables. Results demonstrated that Agreeableness was a significant positive predictor of pro-immigrant attitudes, whereas Conscientiousness was associated with more negative attitudes. Within the Circumplex of Personality Metatraits, Beta-Plus/Plasticity positively predicted support for immigrants, while Alpha-Minus/Disinhibition was linked to anti-immigrant sentiments. Political attitudes emerged as strong predictors: positive attitudes towards the centre-left Civic Coalition were associated with favourable views of immigrants, whereas support for the far-right Confederation was related to anti-immigrant attitudes. The regression models explained up to 20% of the variance in immigration attitudes. These findings underscore the utility of the CPM in immigration research and suggest that both personality characteristics and political attitudes play a significant role in shaping public opinion on immigration.
Addressing social and economic inequalities is essential for fostering equitable development and improving the quality of life for individuals worldwide. While previous studies have confirmed that children generally supp...Addressing social and economic inequalities is essential for fostering equitable development and improving the quality of life for individuals worldwide. While previous studies have confirmed that children generally support redistributing resources from the wealthy to the poor, the impact of inequality stemming from individual factors on children's redistributive judgements remains unclear. This study investigates how children aged 6-9 years (N = 137, including 67 females, all from middle-class Han Chinese families) evaluate and engage in resource redistribution when inequality arises from differential merit. Study 1 examines children's fairness judgements related to merit-based inequality and finds that as children age, they increasingly endorse merit-based distribution while exhibiting more negative evaluations of redistribution, particularly among 8-9-year-old children. Study 2 explores children's redistributive behaviours in these unequal contexts, revealing nuanced age-related developmental trends. When in an advantaged position, 8- and 9-year-old children tend to redistribute more resources to disadvantaged peers. Conversely, when in a disadvantaged position, 6- and 7-year-old children are more likely to acquire resources from advantaged peers for themselves. This study enhances the understanding of children's fairness judgements, particularly concerning inequality arising from individual differences, demonstrating how these factors influence their evaluative and behavioural responses to redistribution.
To explore the effects of organisational orientation in predicting employee unethical pro-organisational behaviour (UPB), this meta-analysis classified organisational orientation into organisational attraction orientatio...To explore the effects of organisational orientation in predicting employee unethical pro-organisational behaviour (UPB), this meta-analysis classified organisational orientation into organisational attraction orientation (OAO) and organisational stress orientation (OSO). The meta-analysis results of 410 studies with a total sample size of 140,808 indicate that OAO and OSO, respectively, have a significant positive effect on employee UPB. Structural equation modelling revealed that organisational identification significantly mediated the relationship between OAO and employee UPB, while moral disengagement significantly mediated the relationship between OSO and employee UPB. Organisational identification has stronger explanatory power for the relationship between OAO and UPB than moral disengagement, while moral disengagement has stronger explanatory power for the relationship between OSO and UPB than organisational identification. The moderating effects of indulgence culture and research design between OSO and UPB are significant. This paper contributes to the understanding of the complex mechanisms and boundary conditions of OAO and OSO on employee UPB.
This correlational, cross-sectional study examined the mediating role of coping strategies (emotion-oriented, task-oriented and avoidant coping) in relationships between Dark Tetrad traits at the facet level and mental a...This correlational, cross-sectional study examined the mediating role of coping strategies (emotion-oriented, task-oriented and avoidant coping) in relationships between Dark Tetrad traits at the facet level and mental and physical health on a sample of 492 adults. Results of mediation analysis showed that secondary psychopathy and Machiavellianism were directly associated with poorer mental health, while narcissistic admiration and primary psychopathy were linked to better mental health. Secondary psychopathy had a positive and sadism a negative direct effect on somatisation. Emotion-oriented coping emerged as the key mediator between dark traits and mental health, and the only significant mediator for somatisation. Secondary psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissistic rivalry were related to worse health through higher use of emotion-oriented coping and, additionally in secondary psychopathy, through lower use of task-oriented coping. However, narcissistic admiration and primary psychopathy showed the opposite positive relationships with good health through higher task-oriented and avoidant coping or lower emotion-oriented coping. Findings underscore the critical role of coping in these associations.
Psychological courage (PC)-the disposition to act despite fear and anxiety-has been proposed as a protective factor in the stress process, yet its role within Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) remains unclear. Withi...Psychological courage (PC)-the disposition to act despite fear and anxiety-has been proposed as a protective factor in the stress process, yet its role within Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) remains unclear. Within RST, dispositional Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) sensitivity reflects proneness to anxiety during goal conflict and may increase vulnerability to stress over time. Rather than reducing anxiety, PC may buffer how BIS-related anxiety translates into changes in perceived stress. We tested this proposition in a two-wave panel study (62-day interval) using a nationwide Polish sample (N = 516). A moderation model predicted change in perceived stress from T1 BIS, T1 PC, and their interaction. Results showed that BIS predicted increases in perceived stress, and this association was weaker at higher levels of PC. These findings extend cross-sectional work by demonstrating a boundary condition role for PC in the stress process.
Int J Psychol
· 2026 Apr · PMID 41692952
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An original dataset based on a national quota sample in the Czech Republic (n = 490, M = 46.09 y/o, 45.7% women) was used to assess susceptibility to medical (COVID-19) and political (Russian invasion of Ukraine) disinfo...An original dataset based on a national quota sample in the Czech Republic (n = 490, M = 46.09 y/o, 45.7% women) was used to assess susceptibility to medical (COVID-19) and political (Russian invasion of Ukraine) disinformation. Susceptibility to disinformation was assessed using 30 items addressing contemporary topics. To identify the latent structure underlying these items, an exploratory factor analysis (principal-axis factoring with direct oblimin rotation) was conducted. EFA yielded four correlated factors: one specific to COVID-19 hoaxes/misinformation (F1) and three others pertaining to the political (F2), economic (F3), and moral/ethical (F4) dimensions of the Russian war. In order to identify response patterns, all 30 items from 490 participants were subjected to Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) in which the EFA factors served to interpret the five resulting types: a neutral No Strong Opinion type (48%); two disinformation-resilient types-Rational Pro-Ukrainians (22%) and Anti-Russians (7%); and two disinformation-susceptible types-Pro-Russians (15%) and the Generally Disinformed (9%). The discussion addresses the sizable No Strong Opinion type and the correlation between COVID-19 hoaxes and propaganda disinformation (r = 0.47), which supports the 'monological belief system' concept. The identified types can be further followed prospectively and retrospectively within an ongoing panel study.
Assertion perception is a critical cognitive process for how people evaluate misinformation. Although prior work has examined various textual contexts, less is known about how different types of responses shape assertion...Assertion perception is a critical cognitive process for how people evaluate misinformation. Although prior work has examined various textual contexts, less is known about how different types of responses shape assertion perception. To address this gap, we investigated whether threatening responses are more likely to be accepted than non-threatening ones. Drawing on research on assertion criteria and common weakly justified comments on social platforms, we conducted three experiments to test this effect. Across studies, behavioural and EEG (N400) evidence consistently showed that threatening responses were associated with higher acceptance. This study provides two contributions: (1) it identifies how response type influences assertion perception, and (2) it demonstrates the usefulness of EEG as a physiological indicator for studying assertion processing. Our findings illuminate the cognitive-neural mechanisms of assertion processing, provide novel measurement paradigms, and underscore responses' pivotal role in propagating misinformation, offering anti-rumour intervention insights. Nonetheless, the study has several limitations-restricted ecological validity, a single cultural context, and limited generalisability. Future research should address these issues through more naturalistic designs, cross-cultural samples, computational modelling, and preregistered protocols.
Humans display ingroup favouritism when trusting others, showing greater trust toward ingroup members than outgroup members. This research examined regional differences in intergroup trust between southern and northern C...Humans display ingroup favouritism when trusting others, showing greater trust toward ingroup members than outgroup members. This research examined regional differences in intergroup trust between southern and northern China. In Study 1, we analysed data from a national survey (N = 10,968) to compare attitudes toward trust in various relationships among respondents from the North and South. In Study 2, we used game experiments (N = 156) to measure behavioural trust among northern and southern college students toward different groups, and to explore micro-level explanatory factors for regional differences. Study 3 (N = 65) further tested the mechanisms underlying these regional differences through experimental manipulations based on the results of Study 2. The findings indicated that both southerners and northerners exhibit ingroup favouritism under relational cues, while only northerners show ingroup favouritism under categorical cues. Expectations of reciprocity can explain the regional differences in intergroup trust between South China and North China. This research provides new insights and evidence on the cultural differences in intergroup trust, thereby enhancing the understanding of regional culture and its psychological manifestations in China.
Ramos-Vera C, Grigoropoulos I, Hualparuca-Olivera L
… +2 more, Salas RA, Gruda D
Int J Psychol
· 2026 Apr · PMID 41655415
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This study examines the relationship between national narcissism, a defensive form of collective pride contingent on external validation and social belonging. Drawing on self-determination theory and social identity theo...This study examines the relationship between national narcissism, a defensive form of collective pride contingent on external validation and social belonging. Drawing on self-determination theory and social identity theory, we investigate the mediating role of self-esteem in this relationship, potentially transforming belonging from a defensive, compensatory strategy into a genuine desire for connection. We also explore whether optimism and sex moderate this mediated relationship. In a sample of 44,407 participants across 51 countries, we find that self-esteem mediates the association between national narcissism and social belonging, with higher self-esteem reducing defensive reliance on external validation. Both optimism and sex further moderate these effects: optimism buffered against the negative impact of national narcissism, while men and women exhibited distinct pathways in translating national narcissism into belonging. Our findings demonstrate that self-esteem determines whether national narcissism fosters insecure or more authentic forms of belonging. Moreover, both dispositional outlook (optimism) and demographic factors (sex) significantly influence the extent to which national narcissism shapes social connection.