Research

• Funding body: RSE Saltire International Collaboration Awards 2021
• Period: October 2021 - September 2023
• Principal investigator: Katharina Schmid

Summary

Political disagreements are often accompanied by intense dislike and distrust of the opposing group, a phenomenon termed affective polarization. This project will provide novel insights into the psychological factors underlying this by investigating polarization in the contexts of the Scottish and Catalan independence movements. Drawing on current social-psychological theory, the work will generate the thus far most detailed assessment of affective polarization, including understanding of the factors that impact its development over time. We focus in particular on the role of intergroup contact in shaping intergroup relations and aim to understand how different forms of contact impacts polarization. A longitudinal comparison of Scotland and Catalonia will identify both generalizable and context-specific factors contributing to polarization. A secondary aim of the research is to understand how cross-border contact impacts secessionist attitudes. This project aims to provide insights to advance constructive debate and social cohesion in starkly divided political contexts.

• Funding body: RConvocatòria de Recerca Social La Caixa 2019
• Reference: SR19-000256
• Period: February 2020 - October 2022
• Principal investigator: Katharina Schmid

Summary

A key societal challenge in Spain, and indeed in many parts of the world, entails preventing discrimination and social exclusion of minority and disadvantaged groups in society, as well as curbing far-right extremism. Recent political trends in Spain reflect a surge in far-right attitudes and discriminatory behaviour towards minority groups, especially immigrants.

To address this challenge, this project will use a highly innovative design that triangulates three quantitative data collection methods (i.e., a general population survey, an implicit association test, and a series of experiments) and that bridges current insights on the interplay between a key antecedent of discrimination and far-right attitudes, identity threat, as well as a key strategy to prevent such negative tendencies, intergroup contact.

By examining previously unexplored conditional factors underlying the complex interplay between contact and threat, this project will offer critical new insights into the drivers of explicit (i.e., consciously held) and implicit (i.e., subconsciously held) attitudes towards immigrants and other minority or disadvantaged groups that are also prominent in the current far-right discourse in Spain, such as women and Muslims.

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• Funding body: Generación de conocimiento 2019 - MICINN-MCIU (Ministerio)
• Reference: PID2019-111276GB-I00
• Period: June 2020 - May 2024
• Principal investigator: Katharina Schmid

Summary

A key societal challenge in Spain, as in many parts of the world, entails preventing discrimination and social exclusion of immigrants on the one hand, and women on the other, as well as curbing far-right extremism. Recent political trends in Spain reflect a surge in far-right attitudes and discriminatory behaviour towards minority groups, especially immigrants but also women.

To address this challenge, the current project will use a highly innovative design that triangulates three quantitative data collection methods (i.e., a general population survey, an implicit association test, and a series of experiments) and that bridges current insights on the interplay between a key antecedent of discrimination, identity threat, as well as a key strategy to prevent such negative tendencies, intergroup contact. By examining previously unexplored conditional factors underlying the complex interplay between contact and threat, this project will offer critical new insights into the drivers of explicit (i.e., consciously held) and implicit (i.e., subconsciously held) attitudes towards immigrants and women that are prominent in the current far-right discourse in Spain. The results of this project will provide applied recommendations to policy makers and other key stakeholders seeking to prevent discrimination, social exclusion and far-right extremism in Spain.

• Funding body: BBVA Becas Leonardo 2021
• Reference: IN[21]_ECC_PSI_0104
• Period: July 2021 - December 2022
• Principal investigator: Jordi Quoidbach

Summary

How should you balance your time to be happier? The decisions we make every day about what to do, when to do it, and who to do it with have important consequences for well-being. Research suggests that up to 40% of differences in people's happiness can be explained through how they balance their time. However, the ways our daily schedules work remain poorly understood. To date, studies have been unable to capture time use comprehensively or model its relationship to happiness in all its complexity.

To solve these fundamental problems, I set two goals:

1. Capture the complex ways people spend and balance their time.
2. Identify the fundamental dimensions of time use that predict happiness.

To achieve these goals, I will (1) build an integrative mobile app that combines experience sampling, mobile sensing, and machine learning to capture how people use their time with an unprecedented level of accuracy, and (2) I will collect large-scale data to determine which dimensions of time use predict subjective and objective well-being.

With this project, I will provide the first in-depth explanation of the everyday determinants of happiness. I am confident that the new tools and models we are proposing will facilitate innovative, powerful and scalable ways to help people live happier lives.

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• Funding body: US ARMY Research Institute - via Uni Durham
• Reference: W911NF-18-2-0049
• Period: September 2019 – January 2021
• Principal investigator: Laura Guillén

Summary

In order to understand how identity processes affect an individual’s social context, and vice-versa, we need clarity about how we conceptualize losing (or reinventing) a leader identity pre and post- retirement, along with a more nuanced understanding of the process by which individuals respond to this life event. We will look at how organizations can manage and empower individuals nearing retirement, so that they can provide executives with the means to successfully transition to their next phase in life. The project will consist of four studies, using different research designs:

1. Qualitative Study 1: Qualitative, theory-generating research to explore the notion of losing a leader identity, in more depth.
2. Cross sectional, multi-source quantitative Study 2 – Pre- and post-retirement: Data collection from a large sample (>500) of executives in big corporationSurvey data to be collected before and after retirement.
3. Longitudinal quantitative Study 3 – Main: Follow-up of participants of Study 2 after retirement and every six months after that (2 waves in total), using survey techniques.
4. Field Experiment, Study 4 – Based on the findings of the prior studies, we will design an intervention. We hope to provide practical tools for organizations to manage and empower retiring leaders as they move to their next life stage.

• Funding body: Ramón y Cajal 2016 - MICINN-MINECO (Ministerio)
• Reference: RyC2016-21020
• Period: February 2018 - January 2023
• Principal investigator: Jordi Quoidbach

Summary

Prof. Quoidbach’s research explores the temporal determinants of choice and happiness. In particular, he is interested in understanding how people's memories of past experiences and anticipation of future experiences shape the decisions they make, the emotions they feel, and their overall happiness in the present. His work highlights novel perspectives to increase happiness and to help individuals making better professional and personal decisions.