Patrizia Catellani
Biographic Data
| ID | 124706 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Patrizia Catellani |
| GIVEN NAMES | Patrizia |
| FAMILY NAME | Catellani |
| SIGNATURE | CATELLANI P |
| AFFILIATIONS | Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-7195-8967 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 28 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 60 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 27 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2001 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
What is in populist voters' minds? An investigation of the social psychological correlates of populist attitudes among Italian voters
While much research in the past decade has sought to define populism as a novel political phenomenon and to identify the institutional, political, and economic conditions associated with its electoral success, we still know little about the individual-level differences linked to these attitudes. Findings from research on political communication, voting decisions, and attitudes toward political issues suggest that populist voters may differ from o…
The multidimensional Food Choice Model: The case of the acceptance of novel foods integrating innovation with familiarity
This study examined the psychosocial factors influencing consumers' acceptance of legume-enriched foods, a "low-disruption" innovation that reformulates familiar staples with legume ingredients. Using structural equation modeling on a nationally representative sample (N = 1905), we tested a Multicomponent Food Choice Model encompassing cognitive, emotional, social, behavioral, motivational, and moral dimensions. In the cognitive dimension, attitu…
Biases and debiasing in human and artificial intelligence
When we make decisions or argue, cognitive, emotional, and motivational factors often lead us to use mental shortcuts. These can speed up reasoning but can also lead to systematic biases. To counteract them, various debiasing strategies can be tested experimentally. In the justice system, it is crucial that the decision-making procedures match the capabilities and limits of human cognition. Artificial intelligence is also affected by biases, but …
Bridging the Ideological Divide: Communicating the Positive Economic Impact of Climate Policy to Persuade the Right
Political polarisation on the issue of climate change is an obstacle to an effective public debate on the measures needed to tackle the problem. Communication that focuses on the economic dimension could be one way to increase the limited support of right‐wing audiences for climate policy. In two experimental studies, we examined how a message advocating a switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources affects participants' support for this…
Did sexist voters bring Italy its first female Prime Minister
We examined the role of hostile sexism in vote at the 2022 general election in Italy, where the largest among center-right parties was led by a woman, Giorgia Meloni. We analyzed data from a sample of 1635 voters who participated in the 2022 ITANES survey. Hostile sexism was associated with male gender, lower education, higher religiosity, and right-wing orientation. As to vote choice, hostile sexism was positively associated with vote for Brothe…
The Social Psychology of Eating
Our eating decisions are guided by several psychological dimensions: cognitive, emotional, value-based, social, and behavioural.
Social Psychology of Eating
Predicting and promoting the consumption of plant-based meat
Purpose The present research aimed to understand how to predict and promote plant-based meat (PBM) consumption. Design/methodology/approach In Study 1 (N = 550), the authors investigated the psychosocial antecedents of the intentions to add PBM and to replace animal meat with PBM. In Study 2 (N = 390), the authors tested the effectiveness of different environmental messages promoting PBM consumption. The authors compared the effects of an additio…
Adding Dynamic Norm to Environmental Information in Messages Promoting the Reduction of Meat Consumption
Research has shown that dynamic norm information can promote pro-environmental actions (i.e. information indicating that a growing number of people are behaving pro-environmentally). Yet, the question remains whether adding dynamic norm information would increase the effectiveness of information on the environmental consequences of behavior. We compared the effects of environmental information with versus without dynamic norm information on encou…
The psychosocial antecedents of the adherence to the Mediterranean diet
Objective: Most previous research on the antecedents of healthy food choice has not investigated the links between these antecedents and has focused on specific food choice rather than on an overall diet. In the present study, we tested the plausibility of an integrated theoretical model aiming to explain the role of different psychosocial factors in increasing the intention to adhere to the Mediterranean Diet (MeDiet). Design: An online survey m…
Counterfactual thinking as a prebunking strategy to contrast misinformation on Covid-19
Framing Messages on the Economic Impact of Climate Change Policies: Effects on Climate Believers and Climate Skeptics
Citizens are increasingly polarized on climate change, making persuasive communication on the issue rarely effective. We investigated how individuals with different climate change beliefs evaluated gain- and loss-framed messages on the environmental and economic impact of a related policy. In Studies 1 & 2, we found that Italian (N = 240) and American (N = 172) participants evaluated the differently framed messages according to their initial clim…
Explaining intention to reduce red and processed meat in the UK and Italy using the theory of planned behaviour, meat-eater identity, and the Transtheoretical model
This study aimed to contribute to the growing literature investigating the psychosocial factors associated with intentions to reduce red and processed meat consumption, given the significant negative impact of meat on public health and in contributing to climate change. A framework combining the Theory of Planned Behaviour with meat-eater identity and the Transtheoretical Model was used to explain intention to reduce red and processed meat consum…
Think different? Populist attitudes and their consequences on vote behaviour in the 2016 and 2020 italian constitutional referenda
Following the rise of populist parties and leaders in the last decade, research has extensively investigated the political and economic factors that have driven some voters towards populism. Less research has been devoted to the individual psychological factors associated with populist attitudes, and to how those can influence political decisions, such as vote choice in an election or referendum. In this study, we analysed data from the 2016 and …
Informational and emotional daily messages to reduce red and processed meat consumption
The Effects of Counterfactual Attacks on the Morality and Leadership of Different Professionals
Past research has offered contrasting results regarding the effects of attacks on social judgments. In three experiments, we investigated the effects of counterfactual (“If only...”) and non-counterfactual attacks on the morality versus leadership of politicians versus entrepreneurs. First, participants rated morality as the most desirable, but least typical dimension of politicians, and leadership as the most desirable and most typical dimension…
Promoting change in meat consumption among the elderly: Factual and prefactual framing of health and well-being
Agreement with climate change policies: Framing the future and national versus supranational identity
Through an experiment included in a nationwide survey conducted prior to the 2014 European elections, we investigated whether citizens' agreement with policies dealing with the global issue of climate change depends on how such policies are framed and citizens' identification with the national or supranational entities enacting them. Participants were presented with different versions of a statement proposing investments in renewable energy sourc…
Effects of message framing in policy communication on climate change
In two studies, we investigated the framing effects of policy messages regarding climate change. In Study 1, we asked participants to read policy messages that envisioned positive consequences. Messages varied as to their outcome sensitivity (achievement of positive outcomes versus avoidance of negative outcomes), regulatory concern (growth versus safety) and goal‐pursuit strategy (investment in renewable energy versus intervention on greenhouse …
The effects of counterfactual defences on social judgements
Research on counterfactuals (‘If only...’) has seldom considered the effects of counterfactual communication, especially in a defensive context. In three studies, we investigated the effects of counterfactual defences employed by politicians. We assumed that self‐focused upward counterfactuals (‘If only I..., the outcome would have been better’) are a form of concession, other‐focused upward counterfactuals (‘If only they..., the outcome would ha…
The Effects of Counterfactual Attacks on Social Judgments
Two experiments were conducted to compare the effects of different styles of verbal criticism (factual vs. counterfactual) on the perceptions of target, source, and quality of the attack. Counterfactual attacks resulted in more negative overall judgment of the target and ratings of the target's morality than either factual attacks or no attack. Counterfactual attacks were also rated more positively than factual attacks, and the source of the coun…
The "Big Two" in Political Communication: The Effects of Attacking and Defending Politicians’ Leadership or Morality
In two experimental studies (conducted in Britain and Italy), participants read about a politician answering to leadership- versus morality-related allegations using either downward counterfactuals ("things could have been worse, if ...") or upward counterfactuals ("things could have been better, if ..."). Downward messages increased the perception of the politician's leadership, while both downward and upward messages increased morality percepti…
The Strategic Use of Counterfactual Communication in Politics
While counterfactual thinking has been widely investigated, we know much less about how counterfactual ("If . . . then") statements are employed in political communication. We analysed statements made by politicians during pre-electoral televised broadcasts, to assess whether politicians employ counterfactuals in facework. Counterfactuals were coded according to their direction, controllability, and structure. Log-linear analysis revealed that up…
Does the Candidate Matter? Comparing the Voting Choice of Early and Late Deciders
Candidate personality traits have long been recognized as influential in the determination of voting choice. However, little is understood of how the perception of candidates' traits influences different categories of voters. Based on a large‐scale electoral‐panel survey (ITANES, ITAlian National Election Studies), the present study investigated whether the voting choice of early and late deciders differentially relied on candidate traits. Result…
The Psychology of Counterfactual Thinking
Die Psychologie kontrafaktischen Denkens«.Counterfactual thinking refers to mental constructions of alternatives to past events.In this overview of the psychological basis of counterfactual thinking, we examine how such thoughts influence emotions and carry benefits for everyday behavior.Two psychological mechanisms, contrast effects and causal inferences, can explain many of the effects of counterfactual thinking reported by psychologists.We the…
Does the Candidate Matter? Comparing the Voting Choice of Early and Late Deciders
Candidate personality traits have long been recognized as influential in the determination of voting choice. However, little is understood of how the perception of candidates' traits influences different categories of voters. Based on a large‐scale electoral‐panel survey (ITANES, ITAlian National Election Studies), the present study investigated whether the voting choice of early and late deciders differentially relied on candidate traits. Result…
Effects of message framing in policy communication on climate change
In two studies, we investigated the framing effects of policy messages regarding climate change. In Study 1, we asked participants to read policy messages that envisioned positive consequences. Messages varied as to their outcome sensitivity (achievement of positive outcomes versus avoidance of negative outcomes), regulatory concern (growth versus safety) and goal‐pursuit strategy (investment in renewable energy versus intervention on greenhouse …
Explaining intention to reduce red and processed meat in the UK and Italy using the theory of planned behaviour, meat-eater identity, and the Transtheoretical model
This study aimed to contribute to the growing literature investigating the psychosocial factors associated with intentions to reduce red and processed meat consumption, given the significant negative impact of meat on public health and in contributing to climate change. A framework combining the Theory of Planned Behaviour with meat-eater identity and the Transtheoretical Model was used to explain intention to reduce red and processed meat consum…
Informational and emotional daily messages to reduce red and processed meat consumption
Promoting change in meat consumption among the elderly: Factual and prefactual framing of health and well-being
Counterfactual thinking as a prebunking strategy to contrast misinformation on Covid-19
The "Big Two" in Political Communication: The Effects of Attacking and Defending Politicians’ Leadership or Morality
In two experimental studies (conducted in Britain and Italy), participants read about a politician answering to leadership- versus morality-related allegations using either downward counterfactuals ("things could have been worse, if ...") or upward counterfactuals ("things could have been better, if ..."). Downward messages increased the perception of the politician's leadership, while both downward and upward messages increased morality percepti…
Counterfactuals and roles: Mock victims' and perpetrators' accounts of judicial cases
Three studies assessed the influence of differential perspective taking on counterfactual thinking. In Study 1 male and female subjects were asked to play the role of, respectively, perpetrator and victim in a rape case, and to give their own account of the event. Analysis of spontaneous counterfactuals showed a main tendency to focus on actions more than inactions and on controllable more than uncontrollable elements. However, this tendency was …
The Effects of Counterfactual Attacks on the Morality and Leadership of Different Professionals
Past research has offered contrasting results regarding the effects of attacks on social judgments. In three experiments, we investigated the effects of counterfactual (“If only...”) and non-counterfactual attacks on the morality versus leadership of politicians versus entrepreneurs. First, participants rated morality as the most desirable, but least typical dimension of politicians, and leadership as the most desirable and most typical dimension…
The effects of counterfactual defences on social judgements
Research on counterfactuals (‘If only...’) has seldom considered the effects of counterfactual communication, especially in a defensive context. In three studies, we investigated the effects of counterfactual defences employed by politicians. We assumed that self‐focused upward counterfactuals (‘If only I..., the outcome would have been better’) are a form of concession, other‐focused upward counterfactuals (‘If only they..., the outcome would ha…
The Strategic Use of Counterfactual Communication in Politics
While counterfactual thinking has been widely investigated, we know much less about how counterfactual ("If . . . then") statements are employed in political communication. We analysed statements made by politicians during pre-electoral televised broadcasts, to assess whether politicians employ counterfactuals in facework. Counterfactuals were coded according to their direction, controllability, and structure. Log-linear analysis revealed that up…
Counterfactual thinking and stereotypes: The nonconformity effect
Past research has shown that counterfactual thinking (‘if only...’) is related to judgements of responsibility for negative events. It has also shown that behaviours deviating from the target's own behavioural standard (intrapersonal norm) are likely to trigger counterfactuals—the so‐called exceptional‐routine effect. In the present research, we demonstrate that behaviours deviating from a social category's behavioural standard (social norm) are …
Think different? Populist attitudes and their consequences on vote behaviour in the 2016 and 2020 italian constitutional referenda
Following the rise of populist parties and leaders in the last decade, research has extensively investigated the political and economic factors that have driven some voters towards populism. Less research has been devoted to the individual psychological factors associated with populist attitudes, and to how those can influence political decisions, such as vote choice in an election or referendum. In this study, we analysed data from the 2016 and …
Agreement with climate change policies: Framing the future and national versus supranational identity
Through an experiment included in a nationwide survey conducted prior to the 2014 European elections, we investigated whether citizens' agreement with policies dealing with the global issue of climate change depends on how such policies are framed and citizens' identification with the national or supranational entities enacting them. Participants were presented with different versions of a statement proposing investments in renewable energy sourc…
The Effects of Counterfactual Attacks on Social Judgments
Two experiments were conducted to compare the effects of different styles of verbal criticism (factual vs. counterfactual) on the perceptions of target, source, and quality of the attack. Counterfactual attacks resulted in more negative overall judgment of the target and ratings of the target's morality than either factual attacks or no attack. Counterfactual attacks were also rated more positively than factual attacks, and the source of the coun…
Counterfactuals and roles: Mock victims' and perpetrators' accounts of judicial cases
Three studies assessed the influence of differential perspective taking on counterfactual thinking. In Study 1 male and female subjects were asked to play the role of, respectively, perpetrator and victim in a rape case, and to give their own account of the event. Analysis of spontaneous counterfactuals showed a main tendency to focus on actions more than inactions and on controllable more than uncontrollable elements. However, this tendency was …
Counterfactuals and roles: Mock victims' and perpetrators' accounts of judicial cases
Three studies assessed the influence of differential perspective taking on counterfactual thinking. In Study 1 male and female subjects were asked to play the role of, respectively, perpetrator and victim in a rape case, and to give their own account of the event. Analysis of spontaneous counterfactuals showed a main tendency to focus on actions more than inactions and on controllable more than uncontrollable elements. However, this tendency was …
Counterfactual thinking and stereotypes: The nonconformity effect
Past research has shown that counterfactual thinking (‘if only...’) is related to judgements of responsibility for negative events. It has also shown that behaviours deviating from the target's own behavioural standard (intrapersonal norm) are likely to trigger counterfactuals—the so‐called exceptional‐routine effect. In the present research, we demonstrate that behaviours deviating from a social category's behavioural standard (social norm) are …
The Psychology of Counterfactual Thinking
Die Psychologie kontrafaktischen Denkens«.Counterfactual thinking refers to mental constructions of alternatives to past events.In this overview of the psychological basis of counterfactual thinking, we examine how such thoughts influence emotions and carry benefits for everyday behavior.Two psychological mechanisms, contrast effects and causal inferences, can explain many of the effects of counterfactual thinking reported by psychologists.We the…
Does the Candidate Matter? Comparing the Voting Choice of Early and Late Deciders
Candidate personality traits have long been recognized as influential in the determination of voting choice. However, little is understood of how the perception of candidates' traits influences different categories of voters. Based on a large‐scale electoral‐panel survey (ITANES, ITAlian National Election Studies), the present study investigated whether the voting choice of early and late deciders differentially relied on candidate traits. Result…
The "Big Two" in Political Communication: The Effects of Attacking and Defending Politicians’ Leadership or Morality
In two experimental studies (conducted in Britain and Italy), participants read about a politician answering to leadership- versus morality-related allegations using either downward counterfactuals ("things could have been worse, if ...") or upward counterfactuals ("things could have been better, if ..."). Downward messages increased the perception of the politician's leadership, while both downward and upward messages increased morality percepti…
The Strategic Use of Counterfactual Communication in Politics
While counterfactual thinking has been widely investigated, we know much less about how counterfactual ("If . . . then") statements are employed in political communication. We analysed statements made by politicians during pre-electoral televised broadcasts, to assess whether politicians employ counterfactuals in facework. Counterfactuals were coded according to their direction, controllability, and structure. Log-linear analysis revealed that up…
Effects of message framing in policy communication on climate change
In two studies, we investigated the framing effects of policy messages regarding climate change. In Study 1, we asked participants to read policy messages that envisioned positive consequences. Messages varied as to their outcome sensitivity (achievement of positive outcomes versus avoidance of negative outcomes), regulatory concern (growth versus safety) and goal‐pursuit strategy (investment in renewable energy versus intervention on greenhouse …
The effects of counterfactual defences on social judgements
Research on counterfactuals (‘If only...’) has seldom considered the effects of counterfactual communication, especially in a defensive context. In three studies, we investigated the effects of counterfactual defences employed by politicians. We assumed that self‐focused upward counterfactuals (‘If only I..., the outcome would have been better’) are a form of concession, other‐focused upward counterfactuals (‘If only they..., the outcome would ha…
The Effects of Counterfactual Attacks on Social Judgments
Two experiments were conducted to compare the effects of different styles of verbal criticism (factual vs. counterfactual) on the perceptions of target, source, and quality of the attack. Counterfactual attacks resulted in more negative overall judgment of the target and ratings of the target's morality than either factual attacks or no attack. Counterfactual attacks were also rated more positively than factual attacks, and the source of the coun…
Agreement with climate change policies: Framing the future and national versus supranational identity
Through an experiment included in a nationwide survey conducted prior to the 2014 European elections, we investigated whether citizens' agreement with policies dealing with the global issue of climate change depends on how such policies are framed and citizens' identification with the national or supranational entities enacting them. Participants were presented with different versions of a statement proposing investments in renewable energy sourc…
Promoting change in meat consumption among the elderly: Factual and prefactual framing of health and well-being
The Effects of Counterfactual Attacks on the Morality and Leadership of Different Professionals
Past research has offered contrasting results regarding the effects of attacks on social judgments. In three experiments, we investigated the effects of counterfactual (“If only...”) and non-counterfactual attacks on the morality versus leadership of politicians versus entrepreneurs. First, participants rated morality as the most desirable, but least typical dimension of politicians, and leadership as the most desirable and most typical dimension…
Informational and emotional daily messages to reduce red and processed meat consumption
Framing Messages on the Economic Impact of Climate Change Policies: Effects on Climate Believers and Climate Skeptics
Citizens are increasingly polarized on climate change, making persuasive communication on the issue rarely effective. We investigated how individuals with different climate change beliefs evaluated gain- and loss-framed messages on the environmental and economic impact of a related policy. In Studies 1 & 2, we found that Italian (N = 240) and American (N = 172) participants evaluated the differently framed messages according to their initial clim…
Explaining intention to reduce red and processed meat in the UK and Italy using the theory of planned behaviour, meat-eater identity, and the Transtheoretical model
This study aimed to contribute to the growing literature investigating the psychosocial factors associated with intentions to reduce red and processed meat consumption, given the significant negative impact of meat on public health and in contributing to climate change. A framework combining the Theory of Planned Behaviour with meat-eater identity and the Transtheoretical Model was used to explain intention to reduce red and processed meat consum…
Think different? Populist attitudes and their consequences on vote behaviour in the 2016 and 2020 italian constitutional referenda
Following the rise of populist parties and leaders in the last decade, research has extensively investigated the political and economic factors that have driven some voters towards populism. Less research has been devoted to the individual psychological factors associated with populist attitudes, and to how those can influence political decisions, such as vote choice in an election or referendum. In this study, we analysed data from the 2016 and …
Predicting and promoting the consumption of plant-based meat
Purpose The present research aimed to understand how to predict and promote plant-based meat (PBM) consumption. Design/methodology/approach In Study 1 (N = 550), the authors investigated the psychosocial antecedents of the intentions to add PBM and to replace animal meat with PBM. In Study 2 (N = 390), the authors tested the effectiveness of different environmental messages promoting PBM consumption. The authors compared the effects of an additio…
Adding Dynamic Norm to Environmental Information in Messages Promoting the Reduction of Meat Consumption
Research has shown that dynamic norm information can promote pro-environmental actions (i.e. information indicating that a growing number of people are behaving pro-environmentally). Yet, the question remains whether adding dynamic norm information would increase the effectiveness of information on the environmental consequences of behavior. We compared the effects of environmental information with versus without dynamic norm information on encou…
The psychosocial antecedents of the adherence to the Mediterranean diet
Objective: Most previous research on the antecedents of healthy food choice has not investigated the links between these antecedents and has focused on specific food choice rather than on an overall diet. In the present study, we tested the plausibility of an integrated theoretical model aiming to explain the role of different psychosocial factors in increasing the intention to adhere to the Mediterranean Diet (MeDiet). Design: An online survey m…
Counterfactual thinking as a prebunking strategy to contrast misinformation on Covid-19
The Social Psychology of Eating
Our eating decisions are guided by several psychological dimensions: cognitive, emotional, value-based, social, and behavioural.
Social Psychology of Eating
Did sexist voters bring Italy its first female Prime Minister
We examined the role of hostile sexism in vote at the 2022 general election in Italy, where the largest among center-right parties was led by a woman, Giorgia Meloni. We analyzed data from a sample of 1635 voters who participated in the 2022 ITANES survey. Hostile sexism was associated with male gender, lower education, higher religiosity, and right-wing orientation. As to vote choice, hostile sexism was positively associated with vote for Brothe…
Biases and debiasing in human and artificial intelligence
When we make decisions or argue, cognitive, emotional, and motivational factors often lead us to use mental shortcuts. These can speed up reasoning but can also lead to systematic biases. To counteract them, various debiasing strategies can be tested experimentally. In the justice system, it is crucial that the decision-making procedures match the capabilities and limits of human cognition. Artificial intelligence is also affected by biases, but …
Psychology (22 works) · Social Psychology (18 works) · Political science (13 works) · Counterfactual thinking (10 works) · Social and Intergroup Psychology (9 works) · Behavioral Health and Interventions (8 works) · Counterfactual conditional (8 works) · Economics (8 works) · Environmental Education and Sustainability (8 works) · Law (8 works)