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(https://www.psypost.org/moral-conflict-heightens-distress-in-pornography-users-study-finds/) Moral conflict heightens distress in pornography users, study suggests
Oct 29th 2024, 10:00

Research published in the (https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2024.2349592) International Journal of Sexual Health shows that moral incongruence and frequency of pornography use jointly mediate the relationship between sexual satisfaction and psychological distress from pornography use.
Research has shown mixed outcomes from pornography use, with some individuals experiencing benefits like enhanced communication, while others report decreased sexual satisfaction and increased distress. A key factor is “moral incongruence,” where personal values clash with pornography use, often intensifying negative impacts. In this study, Tudor-Daniel Huțul and Adina Karner-Huțuleac examined how moral conflict and frequency of use together shape the relationship between sexual satisfaction and mental health outcomes.
The researchers surveyed 943 Romanian adults (70.1% female, aged 18-65, mean age of ~28 years) currently in romantic relationships and who had used pornography in the past six months. The study utilized a snowball sampling method, distributing the survey link on social media within groups to capture a broad demographic.
Participants completed an online questionnaire that included demographic questions, a measure of pornography consumption, and scales assessing sexual satisfaction, moral incongruence, and psychological distress related to pornography use. The frequency of pornography use was rated on a seven-point scale, while moral incongruence was assessed by participants’ self-reported discomfort with pornography consumption that conflicted with their personal values. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-6), which participants rated based on how pornography consumption impacted them emotionally.
There was a significant association between low sexual satisfaction and psychological distress related to pornography use, with frequency of use serving as a mediator. Participants who reported low sexual satisfaction tended to consume more pornography, and this behavior was linked to increased psychological distress, especially when moral incongruence was high. Individuals with stronger moral conflicts about pornography use were more likely to experience greater distress, demonstrating that moral incongruence intensifies the mental health impact of pornography use.
Additionally, the researchers’ moderation analysis revealed that moral incongruence affected the relationship between sexual satisfaction and distress more acutely in individuals with recent or ongoing moral conflict compared to those with no such conflict. The moderated mediation model provided evidence that moral incongruence amplifies the negative effects of pornography use on mental health.
One limitation was the primarily female sample, which may limit the generalizability of the results.
Overall, this study suggests that the psychological impact of pornography use depends on an individual’s moral views and satisfaction in their sexual relationships.
The research, “(https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2024.2349592) The Roles of Frequency of Pornography Use, and Moral Incongruence in the Relationship Between Sexual Satisfaction, and Psychological Distress Related to the Use of Pornography: A Moderated Mediation Model”, was authored by Tudor-Daniel Huțul and Adina Karner-Huțuleac.

(https://www.psypost.org/scientists-identify-dopamine-rich-brain-pathways-that-fuel-cocaine-seeking-behavior/) Scientists identify dopamine-rich brain pathways that fuel cocaine-seeking behavior
Oct 29th 2024, 08:00

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have recently uncovered insights into how specific brain pathways influence cocaine addiction. The study, published in (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028390824003290) Neuropharmacology, found that dopamine signaling from the ventral tegmental area (a brain region associated with reward) to the basolateral amygdala (a region critical for associative learning) plays an important role in how individuals learn to associate environmental cues with cocaine’s effects.
The new study aimed to examine the brain mechanisms that make certain environmental cues trigger drug-seeking behaviors in individuals with addiction. Drug addiction extends beyond a substance’s immediate effects, as repeated use creates strong associations between drug use and specific environmental cues.
For example, someone recovering from addiction may feel a strong craving simply by seeing a place they used to visit for drug use. By investigating how the brain learns these associations, researchers hope to find ways to reduce the chances of relapse, potentially leading to more effective therapies.
Previous studies have shown that the amygdala, a brain region associated with memory and emotional responses, is involved in learning associations between cues and the effects of addictive drugs like cocaine. Dopamine, a chemical messenger often linked to feelings of reward and pleasure, plays a major role in this learning process.
The ventral tegmental area, a dopamine-rich brain region, sends dopamine to the basolateral amygdala, supporting learning and memory tied to these cues. However, it was unclear how directly this dopamine pathway influences the initial development of drug-related habits, so the team focused on examining this connection.
“Dopamine has long been studied in the context of reward and mediating the positive feelings elicited by drugs of abuse. However, these effects of dopamine have largely been attributed to its actions in striatal regions of the brain, even though there are also robust dopamine projections to other brain regions like the amygdala,” said study author (https://torregrossapitt.wordpress.com/) Mary Torregrossa, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.
“We do know that the amygdala is important for learning associations about environmental stimuli predictive of reward (such as with Pavlov’s dogs where a bell predicts food), but whether or not dopamine projections to the amygdala were required for the rewarding or learning components related to cocaine seeking were not known. Therefore, we performed experiments to determine what would happen if we turned off dopamine projections to the amygdala when rats learned to press a lever to obtain cocaine infusions, when they formed stimulus-cocaine associations, and when they learned to associate a location with the rewarding effects of cocaine.”
The researchers conducted the study on adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats, a common model in neuroscience research due to their similarity to human brain function. The study used a technique called chemogenetics, which enables researchers to control specific brain pathways with drugs. In this case, they modified dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area that connect to the basolateral amygdala, allowing them to either excite or inhibit these pathways during various tests.
The researchers performed several experiments to observe how dopamine pathways influenced cocaine self-administration. In the main experiment, rats were trained to press a lever to receive an infusion of cocaine. Some of the rats had their dopamine signaling from the ventral tegmental area to the basolateral amygdala inhibited during this learning period, while others had this pathway excited. To measure whether the rats had developed an association between drug cues and cocaine, researchers observed how often the rats pressed the lever when only a light or sound cue was presented.
Additionally, the researchers tested the rats’ preferences for a place associated with cocaine to assess whether inhibiting the dopamine pathway affected their overall desire for the drug, as opposed to the cue-based craving. In these tests, rats that received cocaine in one part of a two-chamber apparatus were observed to see whether they preferred the cocaine-paired side even without the drug present.
The researchers found that inhibiting dopamine signals from the ventral tegmental area to the basolateral amygdala during the initial cocaine self-administration period reduced the rats’ acquisition of cocaine-seeking habits. This inhibition also diminished the power of cocaine-related cues to trigger drug-seeking behaviors later on. In other words, these rats were less responsive to cues once they had learned to associate the cues with cocaine access.
“The main takeaway from our findings is that dopamine projections to the amygdala are necessary to develop robust cocaine-taking actions,” Torregrossa told PsyPost. “In our model, rats can press a lever to receive cocaine infusions in daily sessions, which normally leads to consistent high levels of lever pressing to obtain cocaine. However, without dopamine signaling to the amygdala, rats never lever pressed very much for cocaine and showed weak learning about a cocaine-associated stimulus.”
Interestingly, the effect of dopamine inhibition was specific to cue-based responses, rather than the drug itself. When presented with cocaine without any accompanying cues, the rats’ behavior remained the same as the control group. This distinction suggests that dopamine projections to the basolateral amygdala are essential for developing drug-cue associations but do not affect the primary reward of cocaine.
“The effects on cocaine taking seem to be related more to learning processes than to altering the rewarding properties of cocaine, as rats were able to learn to associate a location with the effects of cocaine even when dopamine signaling to the amygdala was disrupted,” Torregrossa said.
On the flip side, stimulating the dopamine pathway between the ventral tegmental area and basolateral amygdala during cocaine self-administration enhanced the rats’ responses to drug cues, reinforcing cocaine-seeking behaviors. This increased sensitivity to cues following stimulation indicates that strengthening this dopamine pathway could make the environment’s signals more potent in driving drug-seeking behavior.
“One of the most surprising findings was that dopamine signaling in the amygdala was particularly important for acquiring a robust lever response for cocaine and a cocaine-associated stimulus. But if rats acquired cocaine-seeking normally, and had the dopamine projection silenced later in a test of cocaine stimulus seeking, the rats’ behavior was unaffected,” Torregrossa added. “In other words, once the rats had learned this association, dopamine in the amygdala was no longer needed, which we were not expecting.”
However, like all research, there are limitations to consider. Since the research used rats, direct application to humans requires caution. Although rat models often predict human behaviors accurately in similar brain mechanisms, human experiences with addiction involve a much more complex interaction of social, environmental, and psychological factors.
Future research could further investigate the precise role of this dopamine pathway in addiction. Studies might explore whether similar pathways impact other addictive substances and how varying individual traits may influence sensitivity to environmental cues.
These pathways could be promising targets for therapies designed to reduce cue-based triggers in people recovering from substance use disorders. Since traditional therapies often struggle with relapse caused by environmental triggers, identifying specific pathways involved in this learning process may enable new treatments that target these neural circuits without affecting the overall reward system.
“The long-term goal is to understand the circuits that drive maladaptive drug-using behaviors so that those circuits might be targeted as a treatment for substance use disorders,” Torregrossa said.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110160) The ventral tegmental area dopamine to basolateral amygdala projection supports acquisition of cocaine self-administration,” was authored by Dana M. Smith and Mary M. Torregrossa.

(https://www.psypost.org/cognitive-difficulties-linger-months-after-covid-19-recovery/) Cognitive difficulties linger months after COVID-19 recovery
Oct 29th 2024, 06:00

A recent study published in (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354624001352) Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health suggests that individuals who had COVID-19 may experience lingering cognitive difficulties, especially in areas like working memory and planning. Researchers discovered that, even six to twelve months after infection, people with a history of COVID-19 reported more problems with everyday cognitive tasks than those who were never infected. These findings could guide healthcare providers in developing supportive strategies for those affected by these challenges.
The motivation behind this research stems from a growing recognition of cognitive issues as one of the most burdensome symptoms for individuals recovering from COVID-19. Although many people have focused on the physical effects of the virus, such as fatigue and respiratory problems, cognitive impacts—like difficulties with memory, attention, and decision-making—can also disrupt daily life.
As “long COVID” continues to affect millions worldwide, researchers saw an urgent need to better understand how the virus might affect various cognitive skills over time. Previous studies indicated some of these difficulties but often used broad assessments that didn’t investigate specific cognitive abilities. This study aimed to be more precise by exploring different aspects of executive functioning in everyday life.
“The interest stems from the growing number of reports indicating long-term cognitive and neurological symptoms in the post-acute phase of COVID-19. Understanding which executive functions are particularly affected in the post-acute phase is critical for guiding healthcare and developing relevant treatment options for this newly emerged patient population,” said study author Sofie Buer, a clinical psychologist and PhD student at Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital.
The study included 8,102 adults who participated in the Norwegian COVID-19 Cohort. Each participant completed a detailed questionnaire called the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A), designed to measure cognitive abilities in day-to-day situations. Participants completed this assessment between April and September 2021, with nearly half having previously tested positive for COVID-19 and the other half uninfected.
The BRIEF-A tool contains 75 questions that ask respondents to rate their difficulties with daily tasks, such as remembering instructions, organizing activities, and monitoring one’s own behavior. The researchers looked at overall executive function through a composite score and two specific categories: behavioral regulation (or self-control) and metacognition (which involves tasks like remembering information and planning). Additionally, participants provided demographic details, such as age and health conditions, while vaccination information was gathered from Norway’s national registry.
The researchers found that individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 were more likely to report cognitive difficulties compared to those who never had the virus. A substantial number of the COVID-positive participants scored above the clinical threshold for executive function issues. The metacognition category saw the biggest disparity, with nearly 19% of the infected group struggling with working memory issues—nearly twice the rate of uninfected individuals. Working memory, which allows a person to hold information in their mind temporarily to complete a task, was notably problematic.
“One surprising finding was the extent to which working memory was affected compared to other aspects of executive functions,” Buer told PsyPost.
When adjusting for age, gender, and pre-existing health conditions, the results remained clear: those who had experienced COVID-19 were almost twice as likely to report high levels of executive function impairment within six to twelve months post-infection. Behavioral self-monitoring, which includes being able to recognize and correct errors in one’s own actions, was also more challenging for those who had the virus, suggesting that some people may struggle with basic aspects of self-regulation long after recovering from the acute symptoms of COVID-19.
“The average person should recognize that cognitive difficulties, especially with working memory and other aspects of executive function, may persist after recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection,” Buer said. “These deficits can act as a barrier for regaining pre-illness functional levels and may require targeted interventions to help individuals manage these lingering effects of COVID-19.”
While the findings highlight potential cognitive aftereffects of COVID-19, there are limitations to keep in mind. The study was cross-sectional, meaning it looked at data from a single point in time rather than following participants over an extended period. This limitation makes it challenging to pinpoint when or if these cognitive issues fully resolve for most people.
“Future studies should investigate temporal trajectories to answer if these deficits improve over time and with specific interventions,” Buer explained. “Additionally, self-reports provide valuable information, however, future studies should incorporate more performance-based measures to provide a more in-depth understanding of these deficits.”
“The aim is to identify useful interventions that can specifically target the metacognitive domains affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection. This could involve cognitive rehabilitation therapies tailored to improve working memory and other executive functions.”
“I believe that these findings can help inform public health strategies and rehabilitation programs for those recovering from COVID-19,” Buer added. “Understanding that cognitive symptoms are a legitimate post-infection sequela should encourage more support for affected individuals.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100857) Executive Deficits After SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Population Study,” was authored by S. Buer, B.I. Hagen, A. Søraas, R.A. White, R. Bø, M. Ellingjord-Dale, M.S. Istre, S.H. Brunvoll, A. Lerdal, N.I. Landrø, A.B. Nygaard, and J. Stubberud.

(https://www.psypost.org/phubbing-linked-to-dehumanization-and-aggression-in-new-psychology-study/) Phubbing linked to dehumanization and aggression in new psychology study
Oct 28th 2024, 16:00

A new study in (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108378) Computers in Human Behavior has found that the seemingly harmless act of “phubbing”—ignoring others to check one’s phone—can have surprising social consequences. Researchers discovered that being phubbed makes people feel uncertain about others’ intentions, causing them to view the phubber as less human and even respond with increased aggression. The findings shed light on how digital distractions can erode basic human connections, impacting both how we perceive others and how we behave toward them.
Phubbing, a blend of “phone” and “snubbing,” describes the behavior of ignoring someone in a social setting to pay attention to a smartphone instead. This behavior, common in today’s digitally connected world, can subtly erode the quality of face-to-face interactions, as it often signals disinterest or disengagement to the person being ignored. In relationships, like those between romantic partners, parents and children, or even coworkers, phubbing has been shown to create feelings of neglect and lower satisfaction. Despite
The new research aimed to explore whether phubbing might lead people to dehumanize others—that is, to perceive them as less human and more like objects. The researchers were particularly interested in whether phubbing generates “subjectivity uncertainty,” a feeling of ambiguity or difficulty in interpreting the thoughts and feelings of others. By making people feel unsure about others’ intentions, phubbing may drive individuals to view the phubber as lacking warmth, individuality, or sincerity—traits typically associated with humanness.
The researchers conducted four studies to examine the effects of phubbing on social perceptions.
The first study aimed to establish whether phubbing is associated with dehumanization in real-world social contexts. The researchers examined data from Sina Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform, collecting a massive dataset of 69,399 posts from 200 active users. Participants first completed a survey to measure how often they felt “phubbed” in daily life using the Perceived Phubbing Scale. Afterward, participants provided their Weibo usernames, allowing the researchers to access their posts.
The researchers analyzed the posts using the Chinese version of the Mind Perception Dictionary, a tool with words that indicate human qualities like emotions and agency. They compared the proportion of mind-perception words (words conveying warmth, individuality, or emotion) in posts of participants with high and low phubbing scores. A lower use of these words indicated a tendency to view others as more object-like or less human.
The results showed that individuals who frequently experienced phubbing tended to use fewer words that convey human qualities, suggesting an increased perception of others as less human. This initial study demonstrated that phubbing correlates with dehumanizing language in a real-world setting, laying a foundation for the subsequent studies.
Building on Study 1’s findings, Study 2 aimed to verify whether people who experience frequent phubbing feel increased subjectivity uncertainty, which then leads them to dehumanize others. The researchers recruited 305 participants for an online survey. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing their daily phubbing experiences, subjectivity uncertainty, dehumanization tendencies, and feelings of being dehumanized (metadehumanization).
The analysis revealed that individuals who felt more frequently phubbed reported higher levels of subjectivity uncertainty and, in turn, were more likely to dehumanize others. Importantly, subjectivity uncertainty was identified as a significant mediator in the link between phubbing and dehumanization, while metadehumanization did not have a notable impact. This suggests that people who experience phubbing feel less certain about others’ internal states, leading them to dehumanize others, rather than feeling dehumanized themselves as an explanation.
Having established a correlation between phubbing, subjectivity uncertainty, and dehumanization in Studies 1 and 2, Study 3 aimed to test causality through an experimental design. Participants (198 in total) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a “phubbing” condition or a “non-phubbing” condition. In the phubbing condition, participants were instructed to recall a recent conversation where the other person constantly checked their smartphone. In the non-phubbing condition, participants recalled a conversation where the other person gave them undivided attention.
After recalling the interaction, participants reported their levels of perceived phubbing, subjectivity uncertainty, and dehumanization using the same scales as in Study 2. The researchers also measured whether recalling a phubbing experience heightened participants’ negative emotions, which were controlled for in the analysis to ensure that the effects on dehumanization weren’t simply due to a bad mood.
Results showed that participants in the phubbing condition reported significantly higher levels of subjectivity uncertainty and dehumanization compared to those in the non-phubbing condition. This provided evidence that phubbing causally leads to increased uncertainty about others’ thoughts and feelings, which in turn drives dehumanizing perceptions.
The final study (which included 212 participants) aimed to replicate the findings of Studies 1–3 and explore a downstream consequence of phubbing-induced dehumanization: increased aggressive behavior. The researchers used a video vignette in which participants watched a 3D animated conversation between two people.
Depending on the assigned condition, the conversational partner in the video either phubbed (checked their phone continuously) or paid full attention to the other person. This controlled visual setup helped ensure consistency across participants and closely simulated real-life experiences of being phubbed.
After watching the video, participants rated their levels of subjectivity uncertainty, dehumanization, and perceived phubbing. To measure aggression, the researchers used the “voodoo doll task,” a widely used psychological measure where participants are given a voodoo doll representing the conversation partner and asked to insert any number of pins into it.
Participants in the phubbing condition reported higher subjectivity uncertainty and dehumanization than those in the non-phubbing condition. Importantly, they also demonstrated significantly more aggressive behavior, indicated by inserting more pins into the voodoo doll. These findings showed that phubbing can foster not only dehumanizing perceptions but also hostile responses, highlighting a potential social consequence of seemingly minor phone use during conversations.
“Phubbing, an emerging social phenomenon spawned by the inappropriate use of mobile devices, is becoming increasingly prevalent and has profound psychological consequences,” the researchers concluded. “However, how it affects interpersonal perceptions and behaviors remains largely underexplored. In four studies, we found that perceptions of phubbing breed dehumanization, and subjectivity uncertainty (but not metadehumanization) accounts for this effect. In addition, dehumanization caused by perceptions of phubbing further lead to aggressive behaviors.”
“Our findings enrich the knowledge regarding the outcomes of phubbing and highlight the significance of reducing such behavior to minimize the potential adverse consequences it may bring to interpersonal interactions.”
Despite the robust findings, there are some limitations to consider. For one, the research focused on participants in China, so the results may vary in different cultural contexts. Additionally, while the researchers used social media data, surveys, and controlled simulations to assess responses to phubbing, real-life interactions might elicit different reactions. Future studies could explore how personality traits or cultural factors affect responses to phubbing, as well as how the behavior might be interpreted differently in close relationships versus casual social contexts.
The study, “(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563224002462) Smartphone’s on, humanness’s off: Phubbing breeds dehumanization via subjectivity uncertainty,” was authored by Lipeng Yin, Jiaming Feng, Wenjing Hou, Pengcheng Wang, and Yulong Yin,

(https://www.psypost.org/parenting-style-experienced-in-childhood-might-influence-how-people-treat-their-dogs/) Parenting style experienced in childhood might influence how people treat their dogs
Oct 28th 2024, 14:00

A study of dog caregivers in the United Kingdom found that the parenting styles individuals experienced in childhood (from their parents or caregivers) are associated with how they treat their dogs as adults. In particular, participants who experienced a permissive parenting style in childhood were more likely to use the same style with their dogs. The research was published in (https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14071038) Animals.
Current estimates indicate there are around 700 million dogs worldwide. Of these, approximately 470 million are kept as household pets. Almost every second household in the United States has a pet dog, while around 31% of Korean households and 50% of Filipino families own one or more dogs, representing a notable increase from previous decades.
Studies also suggest that the treatment of dogs has largely evolved in modern times. In earlier eras, human-dog relationships tended to center around human needs. However, recent decades have seen dogs being integrated into families and actively participating in family life. Researchers note that more people now display caregiving behaviors toward dogs that were once reserved for other humans, primarily children. For example, a study found that when mothers interact with their children and with family dogs, similar patterns of oxytocin level increase and brain activation occur.
Study authors Chih Hsin Kuo and Sharon Kessler sought to explore whether the parenting styles individuals experienced as children influence the way they care for their dogs. They specifically wanted to examine whether intergenerational transmission occurs between participants’ received parenting behaviors in childhood and their own dog-directed parenting styles. They also investigated whether orientation toward animals played a role in this relationship.
The study included 391 dog caregivers who completed an online survey using Testable. Most participants were over 25 years of age, with 96% being women. Approximately half of the participants were from the United States and the United Kingdom, and 35% had children in their households. Additionally, the authors interviewed 10 participants via Microsoft Teams.
Survey participants completed assessments of the parenting styles they experienced as children (using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire), parenting style toward dogs (an adaptation of parenting style items for dogs—the Dog-Friendly version of the Parenting Style and Dimensions Questionnaire), and orientation toward non-human animals.
The results confirmed an intergenerational transmission of parenting styles from participants’ childhoods to their interactions with their dogs. Notably, participants who experienced a permissive parenting style as children were more likely to apply the same style with their dogs. The only exception was among Asian participants, where this association was absent. Permissive parenting is characterized by high warmth and responsiveness but low demands and discipline, with parents often being lenient, avoiding strict rules, and allowing significant freedom in decision-making.
Participants who experienced authoritative parenting were less likely to be permissive with their dogs. Authoritative parenting combines warmth and support with clear rules and high expectations, fostering independence while maintaining consistent discipline and open communication.
A protectionistic orientation emerged as the most common attitude toward dogs, followed by a humanistic orientation. A protectionistic orientation emphasizes control, discipline, and using animals for specific tasks or purposes, while a humanistic orientation focuses on treating dogs as companions, emphasizing emotional bonding, care, and their role in the family.
The authors tested several statistical models proposing that orientation toward dogs mediates the relationship between the parenting styles participants experienced in childhood and the styles they display toward their dogs. In other words, they suggested that childhood parenting styles shape participants’ orientation toward animals, which in turn influences their parenting style with dogs.
The results supported this relationship. In these models, a protectionistic orientation toward dogs reduced the likelihood of authoritarian caregiving toward dogs, while humanistic and protectionistic orientations increased the likelihood of permissive caregiving.
“We detected cross-species, intergenerational transmission effects for permissive parenting in that participants who experienced permissive parenting were likely to use it with their dogs and during interviews, participants indicated that they were deliberately replicating their own experiences of receiving responsive parenting,” the study authors concluded.
“Similarly, orientation toward non-human animals played a crucial mediating role between received parenting style and dog-directed parenting style in that protectionistic attitudes reduced the likelihood of participants who experienced authoritarian parenting replicating that with their dogs and a humanistic attitude increased the likelihood that they would compensate for an authoritarian upbringing by being permissive with their dogs.”
The study sheds light on the connection between experienced parenting styles in childhood and how people treat their dogs as adults. However, the study relied on self-reports, which may introduce reporting bias. Additionally, the study’s design does not allow for cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn from the data.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14071038) Intergenerational Transmission of Human Parenting Styles to Human–Dog Relationships,” was authored by Chih Hsin Kuo and Sharon Kessler.

(https://www.psypost.org/the-psychology-of-populism-in-america-reveals-a-diverse-tangle-of-predispositions-and-identities/) The psychology of populism in America reveals a diverse tangle of predispositions and identities
Oct 28th 2024, 12:00

Researchers recently explored the range of factors that attract certain Americans to populist beliefs. Their study, published in (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10659129241289135) Political Research Quarterly, suggests that support for populism isn’t tied to any single reason. The findings suggest that populist views are more closely associated with personal beliefs than with socioeconomic status or even traditional political affiliations.
The rise of populist leaders and movements globally has made understanding the roots of populism increasingly important. In the United States, populism is often linked to anti-elite sentiment, but the researchers wanted to explore what other factors might drive populist support.
The existing research largely focused on how broader social or economic issues, such as economic decline or job insecurity, influence populist attitudes. But the researchers aimed to uncover how individual factors like personal beliefs, identity, and political orientations contribute to the growing appeal of populist ideas.
“Recent events, such as the rise of Donald Trump and Brexit, spurred a renewed interest in studying populism,” said study author (https://www.adamenders.com/) Adam M. Enders, an associate professor at the University of Louisville. “From our perspective, this resulted in a potential over-emphasis on the conspiratorial and authoritarian roots of populism, especially among the mass public. We wanted to take a broader view of populist sentiments in the mass public, considering different pathways that might lead to populist beliefs.”
To investigate this, the researchers used survey data from a representative sample of 1,003 U.S. adults. The survey, conducted in February 2021, gathered responses on a wide range of psychological, social, and political characteristics. Rather than looking for a single common path to populism, they used a technique called latent profile analysis, which allows researchers to identify groups of individuals who share similar patterns of responses across multiple characteristics. This approach helped them categorize different types of populist supporters based on shared traits.
The survey asked questions that tapped into beliefs about personal power and victimhood, trust in government, racial identity, Christian nationalism, and conspiracy thinking. These items were meant to capture attitudes that could potentially align with populist thinking, such as feelings of alienation from the political system or a strong attachment to certain group identities. By examining these responses, the researchers were able to identify different “profiles” or groups within the population, each showing unique patterns of populist support.
Their analysis revealed ten distinct categories of individuals, with four categories showing the highest levels of support for populist ideas. Each of these four categories was characterized by a unique combination of traits:

The first group included individuals with high religiosity but only moderate beliefs in Christian nationalism, victimhood, and authoritarianism. People in this group tended to identify as liberals or with the Democratic Party.
The second group comprised individuals who weren’t particularly religious but showed high levels of racial resentment and conspiratorial thinking. They tended to identify as conservative and Republican.
The third group was characterized by high levels of conspiratorial thinking and a sense of personal victimhood, though they were not strongly religious or attached to any particular political ideology.
The fourth group included people who scored high in several characteristics, including religiosity, Christian nationalism, conspiratorial thinking, and feelings of victimhood. However, they exhibited lower levels of racial resentment, despite having a strong sense of white identity.

These patterns suggest that support for populist ideas in the United States isn’t a single issue but rather an outcome of diverse personal beliefs and social attitudes. Some people support populism because they feel politically marginalized, while others are motivated by a sense of cultural or religious identity.
“The most important takeaway is that, from an individual-level perspective, there are multiple routes to populism––very different constellations of characteristics, attitudes, predispositions, and identities that may attract one to populist ideas,” Enders told PsyPost.
“For some, political orientations (e.g., right-leaning ideology and partisanship) may lead to populist beliefs; for others, religiosity, a sense of victimhood, conspiracy thinking, or racial resentment––or a combination thereof––might matter more. Despite a seeming increase in the (pejorative) application of the populism/populist label, the people who support populist ideas are quite heterogenous.”
Interestingly, the study found that factors like income, health insurance, and education level had less influence on populist attitudes than psychological and political beliefs did. This finding goes against the common assumption that populist support is primarily rooted in economic or class-based grievances. Instead, the study suggests that people’s beliefs and social identities are more predictive of populist support than their economic status.
However, the researchers acknowledged some limitations to their study. The survey was based on self-reported data, which can sometimes introduce biases. The study’s cross-sectional design also means that it can’t determine causality — for instance, whether populist beliefs lead to increased conspiracy thinking or vice versa.
Additionally, the findings are specific to the United States, and the factors that drive populism might differ in other countries. Future research could explore these pathways to populism in other sociopolitical contexts or examine how these profiles might shift over time in response to changing social and political dynamics.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1177/10659129241289135) The Disparate Correlates of Populist Support in the United States,” was authored by Miles T. Armaly and Adam M. Enders.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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