In a world increasingly shaped by globalization, understanding and fostering good cross-group relations became crucial to mitigating intergroup differences and potential conflicts. Drawing on...Show moreIn a world increasingly shaped by globalization, understanding and fostering good cross-group relations became crucial to mitigating intergroup differences and potential conflicts. Drawing on intergroup contact theory, the goal of this paper is to investigate whether the well-established effects of intergroup contact on prejudice reduction hold true in non-Western countries as it does in a Western context. The paper further criticises prior literature on its lack of generalizability beyond Western perspectives, and argues that cultural specificities and diversity of human behaviour globally should be considered when examining the dynamics of prejudice. The central hypothesis posits that intergroup contact with outgroup members generally leads to lower prejudice levels among the dominant group. This is further operationalized by using interfaith meeting attendance among Muslims as an indicator of intergroup contact with Christians, as well as using social distancing levels as indicators of prejudice. Final results indicate a significant negative relationship between intergroup contact and prejudice levels, supporting the central hypothesis. In return, this contributes to a broader understanding of prejudice dynamics and the effectiveness of intergroup contact as a tool for prejudice reduction in non-Western contexts. By focusing on Muslim-Christian interactions in the "Global East," the research sheds light on the nuances of cross-group relations in diverse cultural settings, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive approach in intergroup contact research.Show less
Very recently, it was revealed that Dutch citizens are now generally supportive of nuclear energy: the supporters outnumber the opponents (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek [CBS], 2023)....Show moreVery recently, it was revealed that Dutch citizens are now generally supportive of nuclear energy: the supporters outnumber the opponents (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek [CBS], 2023). Supporters cite the fact that no carbon dioxide is emitted during generation and the need to guarantee a sufficient energy supply as reasons for their support of nuclear energy (Van Engeland & Van der Schelde, 2021). Nuclear energy has not always had high favourability ratings (e.g. Pampel, 2011). One of the reasons for this low support is that nuclear energy has not only been associated with benefits, but also with substantial risks, such as the risk of meltdown and the risks related to nuclear waste (Stoutenborough et al., 2013). The fact that support for nuclear energy apparently fluctuates with time suggests that actors (e.g. the media, politicians) may be able to influence support for the technology by framing it in a certain way. Indeed, nuclear energy has been framed in various ways in Dutch media (Vossen, 2020). Existing research has found that framing can alter attitudes toward nuclear energy (Bickerstaff et al., 2008; Bird et al., 2014; Feldman & Hart, 2018; Pidgeon et al., 2008). However, research on the effect of positive framing (i.e framing designed to increase support) and negative framing (i.e. framing designed to decrease support) on attitudes toward nuclear energy has not yet been conducted in the Netherlands. Additionally, there is reason to believe that the size of the effect of positive and negative frames on support for nuclear energy depends on the values one endorses (De Groot et al., 2013; Entman, 1993; Perlaviciute & Steg, 2015). Existing research has not looked into this hypothesis. Thus, the present study addresses two research questions. Firstly, to what extent does framing affect support for nuclear energy? Secondly, to what extent does the size of the framing effect depend on the values one endorses?Show less
This paper investigates the responsibilities of the private sector in climate change mitigation within a capitalist system. It examines the incentives inherent in capitalism that drive corporate...Show moreThis paper investigates the responsibilities of the private sector in climate change mitigation within a capitalist system. It examines the incentives inherent in capitalism that drive corporate behaviour, particularly the pursuit of profit maximization, and how this affects the sector’s ability to engage in environmental sustainability. The research reveals that while companies can undertake certain green initiatives autonomously, their efforts are constrained by the need for profitability. Consequently, the paper argues that government intervention is essential to facilitate and enhance the private sector’s contributions to climate change mitigation. By analysing various academic perspectives, such as business sciences, environmental sciences, and legal sciences, as well as political sciences, this paper concludes that the division of responsibility between the state and private businesses is clear-cut: it is the government’s role to set moral and legal boundaries within which businesses must operate. This study contributes to the dialogue on corporate environmental responsibility by highlighting the limitations of private sector initiatives and the crucial role of government in enabling meaningful progress in climate change mitigation.Show less
Er is een landelijk significant effect van het gebruik van Twitter/X op het aantal voorkeurstemmen dat een kandidaat krijgt tijdens de Tweede Kamer verkiezingen. In deze studie zal worden nagegaan...Show moreEr is een landelijk significant effect van het gebruik van Twitter/X op het aantal voorkeurstemmen dat een kandidaat krijgt tijdens de Tweede Kamer verkiezingen. In deze studie zal worden nagegaan of dit ook geldt tijdens gemeenteraadsverkiezingen. De gemeenteraadsverkiezing van 2022 wordt als steekproef genomen. Hierbij zal ook het type tweets dat politici uitzenden, politiek of persoonlijk, worden meegenomen in de analyse. Hiervoor is een steekproef genomen uit de drie provincies uit de Randstad: de gemeente Capelle aan den IJssel (Zuid-Holland, 33 raadszetels), gemeente Haarlem (Noord-Holland, 39 raadszetels) en gemeente Utrecht (Utrecht, 45 raadszetels). De resultaten tonen aan dat er geen significant verband is tussen Twittergebruik en voorkeurstemmen in gemeenteraadsverkiezingen. Lijstpositie en of de kandidaat een vrouw is blijken, zoals eerder onderzoek ook reeds heeft uitgewezen, de belangrijkste voorspellers voor het behalen van voorkeurstemmen.Show less
This thesis analyses the effects shared norms with a country under attack have on NATO support in member states. One of the biggest challenges NATO faces, is how to avoid free riding. This makes...Show moreThis thesis analyses the effects shared norms with a country under attack have on NATO support in member states. One of the biggest challenges NATO faces, is how to avoid free riding. This makes studying the potential incentives states have for increasing NATO support essential. Past research has studied several potential material and non material incentives but has not investigated the effects shared norms with a conflict may have on NATO support. To conduct this research, a discourse analysis of the frames used parliamentary debates in the Netherlands on the Russia Ukraine war was done. The analysis revealed that although shared norms were used to frame NATO and the conflict quite often, threat perception was the most used frame.Show less
Once considered a purely elite-driven process far removed from the public, EU integration has become subject to mass politics in recent years. As a result, scholarly work on public opinion toward...Show moreOnce considered a purely elite-driven process far removed from the public, EU integration has become subject to mass politics in recent years. As a result, scholarly work on public opinion toward EU integration has expanded. While existing research has primarily centered on factors like identity, immigration stance, and economic interest to explain attitude variation, this paper highlights the underexplored role of personal values. Drawing on Schwartz’s theory of basic human values, it contends that individuals’ personal values significantly shape their attitudes toward EU integration. To mitigate cognitive dissonance, people align their actions and thoughts with the motivational goals prescribed by their personal values. Consequently, an individual’s stance on EU integration hinges on whether integration is conducive to the motivational objectives linked to their personal values. Conducting a cross-national study of 24 EU member states using data from the 9th round of the European Social Survey, the study finds mixed support for this argument. While human values generally influence attitudes toward EU integration, a noticeable discrepancy in impact magnitude between socially focused values (Conservation and Self-Transcendence) and personally focused values (Openness to Change and Self-Enhancement) emerges, with the latter exhibiting a diminished impact. Overall, the findings of this study support the idea that people rely on their personal values to make decisions and form attitudes on EU integration.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
open access
Bullying victimization is a major public health concern, because victims often experience long-term negative mental health outcomes. Longitudinal brain structure research in children is needed to...Show moreBullying victimization is a major public health concern, because victims often experience long-term negative mental health outcomes. Longitudinal brain structure research in children is needed to understand the possible mechanisms underlying the relation between bullying victimization and negative mental health outcomes. Previous research has shown that the fusiform gyrus, amygdala and vmPFC are impaired in victims. Therefore, this thesis examined the relation between victimization and fusiform gyrus, amygdala and vmPFC volume over time. We hypothesized that victims of bullying, compared to children uninvolved in bullying, would have a larger fusiform gyrus volume and a steeper volume increase. Furthermore, we hypothesized that victims of bullying, compared to children uninvolved in bullying, would have a smaller amygdala and vmPFC volume and a steeper volume decrease. The sample consisted of 156 children (62% female), aged between 7 and 9 years old at baseline, from the Leiden Consortium on Individual Development. At the beginning of the study, the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was administered to measure bullying victimization and high-resolution structural MRI scans were taken. This was done again two years later. Children were classified as victims if they had been bullied regularly in the past two months. We did not find an effect of victimization on fusiform gyrus, amygdala and vmPFC volume. Future research examining the influence of victimization on both structural and functional brain development is needed to provide further insights, which can help inform the design of interventions to reduce the negative consequences of bullying victimization. The current findings emphasize the importance of protective factors that make a victim’s brain development resilient against victimization. This indicates a need for interventions targeting the development of social-emotional skills or the increase of family support.Show less
Climate change is a highly politicised subject, and is seen by many scientist as the largest threat of our time. In order to reduce the effects of climate change, public support is needed for the...Show moreClimate change is a highly politicised subject, and is seen by many scientist as the largest threat of our time. In order to reduce the effects of climate change, public support is needed for the implementation of effective climate policies. The levels of public support vary in different regions, with climate concern in Eastern European countries being much lower than the concern in Western European countries. With the emergence of the Ukrainian war, this study predicts that the overall concern for climate change will likely decrease over time, due to its implications on economical and political factors, as well as the increasing reliance on personal experience and lack of information on climate change. Furthermore, climate concern in Eastern European countries, which are Ukraine’s neighbours, is expected to be decreasing more than the levels of concern in Western European countries. This study tests this assumption by conducting a large-N observational analysis of the levels of climate concern across Western and Eastern European countries, over the period of three years. The test results show that the overall concern for climate change did decrease over the years, however the gap between Eastern and Western European countries did not increase.Show less
