Progetti di ricerca

Digital technologies (DTs), such as smartphones and social media, have a pivotal role in people’s daily interactions and relationships. Their large spread over the last two decades could be primarily ascribed to their importance in satisfying the fundamental psychological need… Leggi tutto to belong. However, DTs have also increased disconnection opportunities, especially in terms of ostracism. Ostracism (i.e., being ignored by others) is a detrimental experience that harms humans psychologically and physically. Research showed that ostracism can have immediate (e.g., negative mood, lower self-esteem) and long-term consequences (e.g., depression, helplessness, and alienation), also affecting physical health if prolonged (e.g., reduced life expectancy). Recently, scholars have started investigating whether ostracism that occurs through DTs, that is “digital ostracism” (DO), can have comparable adverse effects to in-person ostracism. Two phenomena have particularly captured the attention concerning DO: phubbing and ghosting. However, besides being limited by its recency, the current research on this topic has numerous shortcomings, including: 1) the identification and measurement of DO phenomena beyond phubbing and ghosting; 2) the identification of stable individual and relational factors, as well as temporary contextual factors, influencing DO enactment and consequences; 3) the lack of longitudinal studies investigating the time evolution of DO consequences; 4) the lack of knowledge about dyadic and group processes that might foster or hinder DO and its impact; 5) the absence of guidelines and evidence-based interventions to reduce DO and its consequences. Through ten studies and adopting a multi-method approach (focus groups, qualitative data analysis, surveys, experimental research, longitudinal and intensive longitudinal studies, observational methods, randomized controlled trial), the DIGOST project will achieve a series of significant interconnected milestones and deliverables, such as new measurement scales of DO. Specifically, DIGOST aims to provide a deeper understanding of: (i) the individual, social, and contextual factors involved in DO; (ii) the processes and effects of DO over time; (iii) the dyadic and group dynamics involved in DO; (iv) the strategies to tackle the enactment and adverse consequences of DO. Two research Units from Milan and Palermo will integrate their different social and clinical psychology expertise in the DIGOST project. These units compete for the young researchers (“#Under40”) section of the present call. DIGOST's aims are closely tied to Cluster 1 (Health) of the strategic topic “Human well-being.” Given the high practical relevance, our findings will be disseminated to distinct stakeholders, such as academic researchers, end-users of DTs, mental health professionals, and policy-makers.