Humanities and Social Sciences

Polish Psychological Bulletin

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Polish Psychological Bulletin | 2025 | vol. 56

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Abstract

Bullying victimization among adolescents has been linked to various negative outcomes, including a diminished sense of belonging to school. This study investigates the mediating roles of loneliness, alcohol use, and smoking in the relationship between bullying victimization and adolescents' sense of belonging to school among adolescents. The current study utilized a sample of 1147 adolescents and employed correlation analysis and mediation analyses using the process macro for SPSS. Participants reported their experiences of bullying victimization, levels of loneliness, alcohol use, smoking behaviors, and sense of belonging to school. The results of the study indicated a significant negative correlation between bullying victimization and adolescents' sense of belonging to school. Moreover, loneliness, alcohol use, and smoking were found to mediate this relationship, suggesting that these factors play a role in shaping adolescents' perceptions of school belonging in the context of bullying victimization. The findings of this study have important implications for interventions aimed at addressing bullying victimization and promoting adolescents' sense of belonging to school. Strategies that target loneliness, alcohol use, and smoking behaviors may help mitigate the adverse effects of bullying on school belonging. School-based programs should focus on fostering a supportive and inclusive environment to enhance adolescents' well-being and sense of belonging.
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Authors and Affiliations

Yakup İme
1

  1. Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya-Turkey
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Abstract

The novel approach to studying peer victimization is to focus on the harm resulting from aggression rather than a power imbalance between victim and bully, especially since various forms of aggression, which do not meet bullying criteria, can be equally harmful. The main aim of the study is to identify the most harmful act of aggression that is experienced by Polish adolescents. Secondary goals are to check how the various forms of victimization are connected and to verify whether experiencing harm is related to adolescents’ well-being. The group of 551 Polish adolescents participated in the study which was conducted in four public schools. The study was designed as correlational research and the main variables – harmful aggressive behaviors and well-being – were measured using the Student Aggression and Victimization Questionnaire and Mental Health Continuum Scale – Short Form, respectively. From 10 presented aggressive behaviors the most harmful is being left out. The harm resulting from rejection is negatively correlated with adolescents’ well-being. Additionally, pupils who experience being left out are not only victims but also perpetrators of other acts of violence. The sociopolitical background and applications of our findings are discussed.
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Authors and Affiliations

Paulina Wróbel
1
ORCID: ORCID
Iwona Sikorska
1
ORCID: ORCID
Natalia Lipp
2
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
  2. Sano Centre for Computational Medicine, Kraków, Poland
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Abstract

Despite a growing body of research surrounding the prevalence and causes of match official abuse (MOA), past studies have primarily drawn data from interviews and surveys with match officials rather than recruiting players and spectators. The present study addressed this gap by examining the prevalence of MOA and dispositional (attitudinal and personality factors) predictors of its perpetration. An online survey was completed by 358 individuals who had encountered referees through spectating or competing in football matches. The survey aimed to explore the prevalence rates of MOA through the perspective of spectators, players and coaches, as well as examining whether perpetration of MOA was associated with aggression, empathy and normalising attitudes (i.e., acceptance of MOA as a part of football). Findings indicated that self-reported levels of MOA (both perpetrated and observed) were lower than previously reported by match officials. Furthermore, statistical analysis indicated that aggression (anger and hostility) and normalising attitudes predicted the perpetration of verbal abuse. The authors propose the utilisation of targeted awareness campaigns and top-down interventions to address the normalisation of MOA among footballers and fans.
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Authors and Affiliations

Dara Mojtahedi
1
ORCID: ORCID
Dominic Willmott
2 3
ORCID: ORCID
Lydia Ruddick
4
Matthew Hillier
5

  1. University of Huddersfield, UK
  2. Loughborough University, UK
  3. SWPS University, Wroclaw, Poland
  4. Independent, Manchester, UK
  5. University of Hull, UK
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Abstract

Preliminary findings are promising and suggest that a stronger connection to nature may contribute to the development of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors while also potentially enhancing well-being and psychological resilience. However, previous research has often been limited to cross-sectional analyses, which do not provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics involved in human-nature interactions. To address these methodological gaps, we conducted a two-wave longitudinal study with a six-month interval, involving 261 young adults from Poland. The results of our study demonstrated that connectedness to nature predicts an increase in pro- environmental attitudes (β = .17, p = .002) and behaviors (β = .18, p < .001) over time. Conversely, pro-environmental attitudes positively predicted subsequent connectedness to nature (β = .15, p = .002). Contrary to expectations, neither pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors nor connectedness to nature predicted later psychological well-being among the participants (p > .05), suggesting that the health benefits of connectedness to nature in this age group may have been overestimated in previous cross-sectional studies. Nevertheless, the significant effects on the development of so-called "pro-environmental orientation" justify the need for further research on connectedness to nature and suggest that interventions in this area may yield benefits for environmental protection.
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Authors and Affiliations

Patarycja Uram
1
ORCID: ORCID
Sebastian Binyamin Skalski-Bednarz
2 3
ORCID: ORCID
Anna Kwiatkowska
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Institute of Psychology Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
  2. Catholic University of Eichstätt Ingolstadt, Eichstätt, Germany
  3. Humanitas University, Sosnowiec, Poland
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Abstract

The role of home-based palliative care is becoming increasingly relevant as a consequence of demographic changes and medical developments. Informal caregivers serve as singular members of the interdisciplinary team within such a caregiving system. Studies have systematically shown that the duration of care and the physical health of informal caregivers are related to the emotions (including stress) they experience. To date, however, there have been no such studies with regard to informal caregivers of oncology patients receiving home-based palliative care (IC-HPs), who appear to be a distinctive group due to the specific nature of such care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to fill this gap. The study involved 150 informal caregivers of patients receiving palliative care at home, including 44 men and 106 women aged between 22 and 77 years. Study participants declared the daily and overall time spent on caregiving and evaluated their physical health by answering demographic questions. Thereafter, the study verified the intensity of their positive and negative emotions (using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (SUPIN)) and stress (using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)). The study established that daily caregiving duration was a crucial predictor of the caregivers’ negative emotions, including stress. These findings help to improve formal and informal care for this population of informal caregivers.
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Authors and Affiliations

Monika Paleczna
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. University of the National Education Commission, Krakow
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Abstract

The purpose of the study was to identify the psychological causes, effects, and treatments for stress and professional burnout in future nurses. The research methodology includes questionnaires of nursing students and psychometric tests, namely, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale. The study examines the psychological aspects of stress and professional burnout in nursing students, which is an urgent problem of modern medical education. The findings highlight the main reasons that contribute to the occurrence of stressful conditions in students, such as high academic load, emotional stress, practical classes in medical institutions and the need to combine study with work. The effects of stress on the mental and physical health of nursing students, including burnout symptoms, reduced academic performance, sleep disorders, and overall deterioration in quality of life, were analysed in detail. Special attention is paid to the impact of chronic stress on the professional development and career prospects of future nurses. The results obtained confirm the need for a comprehensive approach to solving the problem of stress and professional burnout in nursing students, which will help to increase their stress tolerance and professional training. Various methods of prevention and treatment of stress and professional burnout among nursing students are presented. These include cognitive behavioural therapy, meditation, relaxation techniques, exercise, and social support. Recommendations for organising the educational process, creating a favourable learning environment, and providing psychological support to students are provided.
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Authors and Affiliations

Michael Sebastian
1
Gianpiera Bulfone
1
Gennaro Rocco
2
Alessandro Stievano
3

  1. University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
  2. University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Albania
  3. University of Messina, Italy
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Abstract

The present study examined the social-psychological underpinnings of self-silencing to sexist personal experiences, focusing on the role of hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, gender role-related attitudes, and personal beliefs in a just world. An online cross-sectional study was administered between September 2 and December 30, 2021. The sample comprised two hundred twenty-one respondents (Mage =38.22, SD = 2.75). A between-subject, correlational design was utilized to test the current study's hypotheses. This study's results provide evidence that gender role attitudes may shape the lens through which sexist experiences are interpreted, providing a framework for how women navigate such situations. Accordingly, a strategic goal in achieving gender equality is the need to deconstruct gender stereotypes and the established gendered socio-cultural expectations.
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Authors and Affiliations

Iraklis Grigoropoulos
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
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Abstract

Mimicry is a key mechanism of social interaction that promotes affiliation and prosocial behavior. In autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however, evidence is mixed: basic imitation abilities often appear intact, but their regulation by social cues and context may be altered. This study tested whether children with ASD show prosocial behaviors after being mimicked. Thirty children with ASD (ages 6–9) were randomly assigned to a mimicry or no-mimicry condition during interaction. Prosocial behavior was measured using a pen-dropping task. Mimicked children were more likely to help and picked up more pens, although wide confidence intervals render the true size of the effect uncertain. These findings provide preliminary evidence that mimicry may foster low-cost helping in ASD, though replication with larger, better characterized samples is essential.
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Authors and Affiliations

Aleksandra Dawidziuk
1
Karolina Hipsz
1
Paweł Muniak
1
ORCID: ORCID
Wojeciech Kulesza
1

  1. SWPS University, Faculty of Psychology in Warsaw, Poland
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Abstract

The present study was an attempt to investigate frequent updating of personal information on social media in the context of personality and emotionality, by comparing the personality (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness) and emotional states (depression, agoraphobia-panic, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia) of updaters and non-updaters using the NEO-FFI 3 and EST-Q. Online survey methods were used to screen participants. A total of 900 participants completed the questionnaires, coming from 11 different universities in India. The results indicated that updaters scored higher than non-updaters on measures of neuroticism, extraversion, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia. On the other hand, non-updaters were found to have higher scores on conscientiousness and agoraphobia-panic than updaters. No significant group differences were found for openness to experience and agreeableness.
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Authors and Affiliations

Shubhdip Kaur
1
Himanshu Thakur
1
Sukriti Mahajan
1

  1. Central University Of Punjab, Bathinda, India
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Abstract

Emerging adulthood is a stage in human development characterised by instability and experimentation in undertaken roles. Young people entering adulthood undertaking developmental tasks may experience a quarter-life crisis. The research aims to increase knowledge about the quarter-life crisis and to explore its features by analysing young people's behaviour. An online survey was conducted on 139 participants (121 females and 18 males) aged 18–36 years (M=25.06; SD=3.56). The study was a pilot project. The questionnaire used in the study was the Developmental Crisis Questionnaire (DCQ-12), Hopelessness Scale (HS), Stress and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The number of total categories analysed qualitatively using Quinlan's algorithm was 246. The use of a decision tree made it possible to distinguish two groups of women and men differing in their experience of support and in understanding of the young person's problems. Women forming unsupported sub-models experience uncertainty, insecurity and a contradictory self-image, while the male sub-models experience a focus on the experienced emotions and a limitation of their activity. Women experiencing peer support build sub-models related to a positive vision of their own future, while men experience a lot of anxiety about their own future despite the support they receive. The study indicates that young people in quarter life crisis differ in terms of the experienced support and the used adaptation strategies. Implementing support strategies, for those experiencing a crisis without external support, can improve the quality of their life and enhance their functioning in developmental tasks.
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Authors and Affiliations

Monika Dacka
1
ORCID: ORCID
Agnieszka Kulik
1
ORCID: ORCID
Natalia Mazur
2
ORCID: ORCID

  1. John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
  2. We Love Life Mental Clinic, Warsaw, Poland
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Abstract

Rape myths are widespread problematic beliefs surrounding rape and other types of sexual violence, which can lead to various negative impacts on victim-survivors and societies. Investigating rape myth acceptance (RMA) in different cultural contexts is crucial as RMA is a culturally constructed concept that can vary across countries. Yet, most studies on RMA and its influencing factors have been conducted in Western societies, and there is scarce research addressing such issues in China. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between RMA and belief in a just world (BJW) theory among Chinese and UK citizens. Through survey data collected from 99 participants from the UK (N = 49) and China (N = 50), the study found that Chinese participants exhibit higher personal BJW than UK participants, while also demonstrating higher levels of RMA. Furthermore, the study revealed that gender plays a significant role in predicting RMA, with male participants showing greater endorsement of rape myths. These findings shed light on the complex interplay between cultural beliefs, attitudes toward justice, and perceptions of rape and sexual violence, emphasising the need for cross-cultural understanding and interventions to combat harmful stereotypes and victim-blaming attitudes.
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Authors and Affiliations

Eleanor Manhong Li
1
ORCID: ORCID
Kari Davies
2
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
  2. Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
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Abstract

The aim of this study is to systematically summarize and analyze the relationship between work-family enrichment and work-family boundaries. A scoping review procedure was applied to search and review articles in four databases. Thirty-one papers (36 studies) were included. The results revealed that, more often, work-family enrichment and work-family boundaries are not statistically significantly related. However, work-family boundaries act as both a moderator and/or mediator in the relationship between work-family enrichment and other variables. Recommendations for future research and practice are discussed.
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Authors and Affiliations

Tadas Vadvilavičius
1
ORCID: ORCID
Aurelija Stelmokienė
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
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Abstract

The emotion of being moved enhances closeness and fosters prosocial behaviors such as sharing and commitment. Previous correlational studies have linked this emotion to higher relationship satisfaction, with closeness and intimacy mediating this link. This research aimed to experimentally test whether being moved influences relationship satisfaction, closeness, and intimacy by inducing the emotion through two methods: touching videos (Study 1) and personal memories (Study 2). Although both studies found a positive correlation between being moved and perceived relationship quality, the experimental manipulations did not lead to changes in relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that while being moved is associated with beneficial relationship outcomes, its experimental induction does not necessarily result in measurable improvements. Instead, the relationship between being moved and satisfaction appears to reflect pre-existing dynamics moderated by individual and contextual factors such as attachment style and narcissism.
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Authors and Affiliations

Jan Wiecha
1 2
ORCID: ORCID
Magdalena Śmieja
2
ORCID: ORCID
Alicja Walczak
1 2
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Doctoral School in the Social Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Polska
  2. Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Polska
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Abstract

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies increasingly integrate into daily life, understanding how people perceive AI agents in trust-related interactions is critical for fostering effective human-AI collaboration. Drawing on social cognition theory, this research examines the fundamental dimensions of warmth and competence in shaping impressions and trust towards AI agents compared to humans. Across two studies using trust-related vignettes, we investigated how warmth and competence are attributed to AI agents, human experts, and friends in various social contexts and performance outcomes. The results indicated that although both warmth and competence impact trust judgments, these traits are generally considered less important and are attributed to AI agents to a lesser extent than to humans. Moreover, AI agents were perceived as equally warm and competent, whereas humans were rated higher on both traits—especially on warmth. The findings highlight the nuanced role of social cognitive dimensions in human-AI trust, suggesting that perceptions of AI are context-dependent and affected by implicit biases. This work advances understanding of human-AI social dynamics and underscores the importance of designing AI systems that effectively balance warmth and competence to enhance trust and cooperation.
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Authors and Affiliations

Katarzyna Samson
1
ORCID: ORCID
Tomasz Zaleskiewicz
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. SWPS University, Wroclaw, Poland
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Abstract

This eye-tracking study aimed to explore the relationship between levels of gullibility and attentional allocation to threatening facial expressions. Using a dot-probe paradigm with concurrent eye-tracking, we found a distinct dissociation in how gullible versus non-gullible individuals process angry and neutral faces. While non-gullible participants demonstrated typical avoidance behaviors toward angry expressions, highly gullible individuals exhibited prolonged fixation on these social threat signals. These contrasting attentional patterns suggest that gullibility may fundamentally involve an insensitivity to cues of untrustworthiness rather than merely susceptibility to persuasion. Gullible individuals appear to lack the typical protective response of looking away from threatening social signals. These findings reveal how individual differences in gullibility shape basic attentional processes during social threat processing.
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Authors and Affiliations

Zuzanna Szpak
1 2
Aleksandra Tyrzyk
2
Michał Parzuchowski
2
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy
  2. SWPS University, Sopot, Poland

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