CommensalityExperiments

Relational Models Theory provides an alternative framework to study group and intergroup processes. One of four models people use to constitute groups is communal sharing (CS). Ethnographic and experimental evidence suggests that CS is produced by concrete and symbolic enactments of connections between bodies (cuddling, touching, synchronicity, commensality). We tested the effect of commensality on CS and ingroup favouritism in four Experiments with 3-person groups (total n = 330) and found that commensality enhances emergent group communal sharing but does not enhance ingroup favouritism. In Experiment 1, sharing food enhanced ingroup communal sharing but in Experiment 2 this effect was not significant. In Experiments 3 and 4, sharing water enhanced communal sharing, but only when served from the same bottle, implying consubstantial assimilation. Ingroup favouritism was not enhanced by commensality in any experiment, even when explicitly presented as exclusively ingroup (Experiment 2), suggesting non-comparative group formation through ingroup commensality

Social representations of European history by the European youth: a cross-country comparison

O presente manuscrito examina o modo como os jovens europeus representam a história da Europa. Um estudo realizado em 11 países europeus (N = 1406, estudantes de ciências sociais) mostra que as personalidades considerados mais importantes na história da Europa são, na sua maioria, homens ligados à Segunda Guerra Mundial, a autoritarismos, conquistas e impérios. Embora com menor frequência e com padrões distintos entre os países, a história da Europa também está associada a líderes religiosos, artistas, cientistas e filósofos. Estes resultados mostram que as representações da história da Europa atualmente compartilhadas por jovens europeus correspondem, em parte, a narrativas históricas baseadas num conjunto específico de experiências, acontecimentos e valores supostamente comuns aos povos da Europa que foram promovidos pelas elites europeias durante o processo de integração europeia. Estes resultados sugerem ainda que, além da narrativa negativa das guerras e dos crimes do totalitarismo, a história da Europa também é encarnada por figuras positivas, que transcendem as fronteiras nacionais e personificam um conjunto de elementos-chave que são associados à identidade da União Europeia: democracia, tolerância, solidariedade, humanismo e o Iluminismo. Por fim, também destacamos a quase ausência de personagens inequivocamente relacionadas aos processos de colonização e de descolonização, além de uma forte sub-representação das mulheres.The present manuscript examines the way young Europeans represent Europe’s history. A study conducted in 11 European countries (N = 1406 students in social sciences) shows that the characters considered most important in the history of Europe are mostly men linked either to WW2, authoritarianism, or conquests and empires. Although these appear later in the rankings and despite some imbalance between countries, Europe’s history is also associated with religious figures, artists, scientists, and philosophers. These results show that the representations of the history of Europe currently shared by young Europeans correspond, in part, to historical narratives based on a specific set of experiences, events, and values supposedly common to the peoples of Europe that were promoted by European elites throughout the integration process. Further, these results suggest that beyond the negative narrative of war and the crimes of totalitarianism, the history of Europe is also embodied by positive characters transcending national boundaries and associated with a set of key elements of the EU identity: democracy, tolerance, solidarity, humanism, and the Enlightenment. Finally, we also highlight the near-total absence of characters unambiguously related to colonization and, especially, decolonization, and a strong overall under-representation of women.Le présent manuscrit examine la manière dont les jeunes Européens se représentent l'histoire de l'Europe. Une étude menée dans 11 pays européens (N = 1406 étudiants en sciences sociales) montre que les personnages considérés comme les plus importants dans l'histoire de l'Europe sont principalement des hommes liés à la Seconde Guerre mondiale, à l’autoritarisme, et/ou aux conquêtes et aux empires. Bien qu'ils apparaissent plus loin dans le classement et malgré un certain déséquilibre entre les pays, l'histoire de l'Europe est également associée à des figures religieuses, des artistes, des scientifiques et des philosophes. Ces résultats montrent que les représentations de l'histoire de l'Europe actuellement partagées par les jeunes Européens correspondent en partie à des récits historiques fondés sur un ensemble spécifique d'expériences, d'événements et de valeurs, supposés communs aux peuples d'Europe et promus par les élites européennes tout au long du processus d'intégration. En outre, ces résultats suggèrent qu'au-delà du récit négatif de la guerre et des crimes du totalitarisme, l'histoire de l'Europe est également incarnée par des personnages positifs qui transcendent les frontières nationales et incarnent un ensemble d'éléments clés associés à l'identité de l'UE: la démocratie, la tolérance, la solidarité, l'humanisme et les Lumières. Enfin, nous soulignons également l'absence quasi-totale de personnages liés clairement à la colonisation et, en particulier, à la décolonisation, ainsi qu'une forte sous-représentation générale des femmes.This research was critically enabled and facilitated by meetings sponsored by the European Union COST Action IS1205 “Social psychological dynamics of historical representations in the enlarged European Union”

Social representations of European history by the European youth: A cross-country comparison

International audienceThe present manuscript examines the way young Europeans represent Europe’s history. A study conducted in 11 European countries (N = 1406 students in social sciences) shows that the characters considered most important in the history of Europe are mostly men linked either to WW2, authoritarianism, or conquests and empires. Although these appear later in the rankings and despite some imbalance between countries, Europe’s history is also associated with religious figures, artists, scientists, and philosophers. These results show that the representations of the history of Europe currently shared by young Europeans correspond, in part, to historical narratives based on a specific set of experiences, events, and values supposedly common to the peoples of Europe that were promoted by European elites throughout the integration process. Further, these results suggest that beyond the negative narrative of war and the crimes of totalitarianism, the history of Europe is also embodied by positive characters transcending national boundaries and associated with a set of key elements of the EU identity: democracy, tolerance, solidarity, humanism, and the Enlightenment. Finally, we also highlight the near-total absence of characters unambiguously related to colonization and, especially, decolonization, and a strong overall under-representation of women