Federico Contu
Biographic Data
| ID | 940655 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Federico Contu |
| GIVEN NAMES | Federico |
| FAMILY NAME | Contu |
| SIGNATURE | CONTU F |
| AFFILIATIONS | Vita-Salute San Raffaele University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0454-8527 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 12 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 9 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 12 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2023 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
The Perception of Quality of Care and Respect of Human Rights in Mental Health Facilities Among Health Workers Over Time in Sardinia, Italy
OBJECTIVES: To examine changes in mental health workers' (MHWs) perceptions of human rights protection and job satisfaction before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy (Sardinia). STUDY DESIGN: Comparative analysis of three cross-sectional surveys conducted at different time points. METHODS: Three cross-sectional surveys were carried out among MHWs working in community mental health services in Italy (Sardinia) in 2019 (pre-COVID), 2…
The perception of quality of care and respect of human rights in mental healthcare facilities among users during and after the pandemic in Sardinia, Italy
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has strongly challenged health systems, but Italian community mental health services, rooted in the Basaglia reform and the World Health Organization (WHO) QualityRights framework, may have preserved a high perception of care quality and respect for human rights. This study compared users’ perceptions of quality of care, human rights, and resource adequacy in public mental healthcare fac…
The effect of past experiences on affective reactions to outcome uncertainty
From conspiracies to insurgence
Facing the unknown with hope or fear
In both lay discourse and scientific analyses, uncertainty has been often portrayed as threatening, and “fear of the unknown” has been typically proclaimed as people’s natural reaction to unpredictability. Diverse research programs in psychology emphasised the human tendency to avoid uncertainty, seek cognitive closure, crave security, and compensate for self-uncertainty by self-affirmation. Yet there is also evidence that people may feel comfort…
Romantic Relationships as a Source of Significance
Drawing on significance quest theory and its derived model of romantic relationships, we demonstrated that perceiving romantic partners as having socially valued qualities (partners’ merit) and as admiring and caring (partners’ appreciation) enhanced actors’ significance gained through the romantic relationship which, in turn, increased the likelihood to enter (Studies 1A and 1B) and maintain (Study 2) romantic relationships. Further, Study 3 dem…
Need for cognitive closure and desire for cultural tightness mediate the effect of concern about ecological threats on the need for strong leadership
The present research utilizes an evolutionary framework to investigate the process underlying the recent rise of several populist, “strongmen” leaders. Specifically, we propose that when people experience contingent (i.e., impending) ecological threats, their need for cognitive closure is activated, making them desire strong rules (i.e., a tight society) and to be guided by a strong leader. Further, we hypothesize that desire for cultural tightne…
Epistemic Uncertainty, Social Dominance Orientation, and Prejudices toward Women in Leadership Roles
This research investigated the relation between the need for cognitive closure, social dominance orientation, and attitudes toward women as managers within a sample of Italian workers (N = 391) enrolled in a cross-sectional study. More specifically, we hypothesized and found that the association between need for cognitive closure and prejudice toward women managers was mediated by social dominance orientation. Notably, these results remained sign…
Going public on social media
People act extremely toward their amorous partner when they feel insignificant
Drawing on significance quest theory, we hypothesized that when people in romantic relationships experience a general feeling of significance loss, they should develop an obsessive passion toward their partner, which in turn should enhance their willingness to act in an extreme manner to maintain their relationship (i.e., their remaining source of significance). To test this hypothesis, we ran two cross‐sectional studies and a longitudinal one. T…
At the roots of Allport’s “prejudice-prone personality”
In line with the seminal ideas on the “prejudice-prone personality” provided by Allport (1954) in the book The Nature of Prejudice, various studies have highlighted the association between individuals’ high need for cognitive closure (NCC) and prejudice towards various outgroups. Nonetheless, evidence on the invariance of individuals’ prejudice towards different outgroups is still missing. Study 1 and Study 2 aimed to provide evidence that indivi…
Addressing the effect of concern with Covid-19 threat on prejudice towards immigrants
The link between threat and anti-immigrant prejudice is well-established. Relatedly, recent research has also shown that situational threats (such as concern with COVID-19 threat) increase anti-immigrant prejudice through the mediating role of desire for cultural tightness. This study aims to further our understanding of the psychological processes underlying the relation between concern with COVID-19 threat and increased negative attitudes towar…
Addressing the effect of concern with Covid-19 threat on prejudice towards immigrants
The link between threat and anti-immigrant prejudice is well-established. Relatedly, recent research has also shown that situational threats (such as concern with COVID-19 threat) increase anti-immigrant prejudice through the mediating role of desire for cultural tightness. This study aims to further our understanding of the psychological processes underlying the relation between concern with COVID-19 threat and increased negative attitudes towar…
Epistemic Uncertainty, Social Dominance Orientation, and Prejudices toward Women in Leadership Roles
This research investigated the relation between the need for cognitive closure, social dominance orientation, and attitudes toward women as managers within a sample of Italian workers (N = 391) enrolled in a cross-sectional study. More specifically, we hypothesized and found that the association between need for cognitive closure and prejudice toward women managers was mediated by social dominance orientation. Notably, these results remained sign…
At the roots of Allport’s “prejudice-prone personality”
In line with the seminal ideas on the “prejudice-prone personality” provided by Allport (1954) in the book The Nature of Prejudice, various studies have highlighted the association between individuals’ high need for cognitive closure (NCC) and prejudice towards various outgroups. Nonetheless, evidence on the invariance of individuals’ prejudice towards different outgroups is still missing. Study 1 and Study 2 aimed to provide evidence that indivi…
Going public on social media
People act extremely toward their amorous partner when they feel insignificant
Drawing on significance quest theory, we hypothesized that when people in romantic relationships experience a general feeling of significance loss, they should develop an obsessive passion toward their partner, which in turn should enhance their willingness to act in an extreme manner to maintain their relationship (i.e., their remaining source of significance). To test this hypothesis, we ran two cross‐sectional studies and a longitudinal one. T…
At the roots of Allport’s “prejudice-prone personality”
In line with the seminal ideas on the “prejudice-prone personality” provided by Allport (1954) in the book The Nature of Prejudice, various studies have highlighted the association between individuals’ high need for cognitive closure (NCC) and prejudice towards various outgroups. Nonetheless, evidence on the invariance of individuals’ prejudice towards different outgroups is still missing. Study 1 and Study 2 aimed to provide evidence that indivi…
Addressing the effect of concern with Covid-19 threat on prejudice towards immigrants
The link between threat and anti-immigrant prejudice is well-established. Relatedly, recent research has also shown that situational threats (such as concern with COVID-19 threat) increase anti-immigrant prejudice through the mediating role of desire for cultural tightness. This study aims to further our understanding of the psychological processes underlying the relation between concern with COVID-19 threat and increased negative attitudes towar…
Need for cognitive closure and desire for cultural tightness mediate the effect of concern about ecological threats on the need for strong leadership
The present research utilizes an evolutionary framework to investigate the process underlying the recent rise of several populist, “strongmen” leaders. Specifically, we propose that when people experience contingent (i.e., impending) ecological threats, their need for cognitive closure is activated, making them desire strong rules (i.e., a tight society) and to be guided by a strong leader. Further, we hypothesize that desire for cultural tightne…
Epistemic Uncertainty, Social Dominance Orientation, and Prejudices toward Women in Leadership Roles
This research investigated the relation between the need for cognitive closure, social dominance orientation, and attitudes toward women as managers within a sample of Italian workers (N = 391) enrolled in a cross-sectional study. More specifically, we hypothesized and found that the association between need for cognitive closure and prejudice toward women managers was mediated by social dominance orientation. Notably, these results remained sign…
From conspiracies to insurgence
Facing the unknown with hope or fear
In both lay discourse and scientific analyses, uncertainty has been often portrayed as threatening, and “fear of the unknown” has been typically proclaimed as people’s natural reaction to unpredictability. Diverse research programs in psychology emphasised the human tendency to avoid uncertainty, seek cognitive closure, crave security, and compensate for self-uncertainty by self-affirmation. Yet there is also evidence that people may feel comfort…
Romantic Relationships as a Source of Significance
Drawing on significance quest theory and its derived model of romantic relationships, we demonstrated that perceiving romantic partners as having socially valued qualities (partners’ merit) and as admiring and caring (partners’ appreciation) enhanced actors’ significance gained through the romantic relationship which, in turn, increased the likelihood to enter (Studies 1A and 1B) and maintain (Study 2) romantic relationships. Further, Study 3 dem…
The Perception of Quality of Care and Respect of Human Rights in Mental Health Facilities Among Health Workers Over Time in Sardinia, Italy
OBJECTIVES: To examine changes in mental health workers' (MHWs) perceptions of human rights protection and job satisfaction before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy (Sardinia). STUDY DESIGN: Comparative analysis of three cross-sectional surveys conducted at different time points. METHODS: Three cross-sectional surveys were carried out among MHWs working in community mental health services in Italy (Sardinia) in 2019 (pre-COVID), 2…
The perception of quality of care and respect of human rights in mental healthcare facilities among users during and after the pandemic in Sardinia, Italy
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has strongly challenged health systems, but Italian community mental health services, rooted in the Basaglia reform and the World Health Organization (WHO) QualityRights framework, may have preserved a high perception of care quality and respect for human rights. This study compared users’ perceptions of quality of care, human rights, and resource adequacy in public mental healthcare fac…
The effect of past experiences on affective reactions to outcome uncertainty
Psychology (9 works) · Social Psychology (9 works) · Political science (5 works) · Cognition (4 works) · Cultural Differences and Values (4 works) · Social and Intergroup Psychology (4 works) · Developmental psychology (3 works) · Politics (3 works) · Prejudice (legal term (3 works) · Social Psychology (3 works)