Conspiratorial threat and intergroup boundaries: How exposure to anti-LGBTQ+ narratives shapes beliefs, identity, and civic engagement Sara Panerati, Valerio Pellegrini, Valeria De Cristofaro, Marco Salvati Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 2026 Nowadays, the use of conspiratorial narratives targeting marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community, is increasingly pervasive. These narratives depict LGBTQ+ people as a threat to the social order, undermining their rights and social inclusion. Across four studies ( N = 2111), we experimentally investigated whether exposure to an anti-LGBTQ+ conspiratorial narrative affects conspiracy beliefs and civic engagement among cis-heterosexual people. Results showed that exposure to conspiratorial narrative increased the endorsement of anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy beliefs, which, in turn, were associated with lower perception of interconnectedness with LGBTQ+ people, lower support for progressive collective action, lower support for inclusive education programs at school, and lower altruistic behavior toward LGBTQ+ individuals. Our findings highlight how conspiratorial narratives might fuel discriminatory beliefs and subtly erode intergroup solidarity and civic engagement. Addressing these processes is crucial to tackling the harmful effects of conspiratorial narratives and designing interventions to counter the spread and impact of conspiracy-driven rhetoric.
Perceived Social Isolation and Conspiracy Mentality: Exploring Pathways to Anti-LGBTQ+ Conspiracy Beliefs Sara Panerati, Barbara Barcaccia, Muslumogullari Yunus Emre, Marco Salvati Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2026 Conspiracy beliefs have long been a recurring feature of human society; however, when they target disadvantaged groups, such as the LGBTQ+ people, they represent a particularly harmful phenomenon with detrimental consequences. Despite the increasing interest in the phenomenon, research to date has often overlooked the influence of an individual social environment. Indeed, recent evidence highlighted that individuals who experience limited social integration might be more vulnerable to adopting a conspiratorial mentality. In this regard, social isolation may represent a possible trigger, fuelling epistemic uncertainty and existential anxiety, and enhancing susceptibility to anti‐LGBTQ+ conspiracy beliefs. Hence, the current study ( N = 820) investigated whether individuals who experience heightened levels of perceived social isolation are more likely to report high levels of anti‐LGBTQ+ conspiracy beliefs endorsement via an enhanced conspiratorial mentality. Results were in line with our expectations, pointing out positive associations between perceived social isolation and conspiracy beliefs, both directly and indirectly, as a function of greater levels of conspiracy mentality. Therefore, an individual's social isolation may represent a promising approach to highlighting the factors that produce fertile ground for the endorsement of anti‐LGBTQ+ conspiracy beliefs and may represent a promising aspect for identifying potential pathways for intervention and prevention.
Do Not Judge Inner Experience, but Be Mindful: Dispositional Mindfulness, Internalized Sexual Stigma, and Positive Identity in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People Silvia Di Battista, Carlo Chiorri, Marco Salvati Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 2025 Introduction Research showed that dispositional mindfulness has positive associations with LGB people’s well-being and is negatively associated with internalized sexual stigma. However, previous research has investigated the role of dispositional mindfulness in the development of LGB individuals’ positive acceptance of their own sexual identity is still limited. This study aims to investigate the association between dispositional mindfulness, internalized sexual stigma, and positive identity in LGB individuals. Methods Three hundred fifty-six Italian cisgender LGB participants responded to a self-reported questionnaire from the end of 2022 to May 2023. We administered the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the measure of internalized sexual stigma, and the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Positive Identity Measure, as well as other background and socio-demographic variables. Results Dominance analyses showed that the non-judging facet of dispositional mindfulness negatively predicted LGB people’s internalized sexual stigma and was strongly associated with the authenticity dimension of LGB people’s positive identity; no other mindful facets or variables were implied in this association. Conclusions A mindful, non-judging attitude toward one’s inner experience might contribute to reducing LGB people’s internalized sexual stigma and favoring their positive acceptance of sexual identity, leading to a sense of authenticity. Policy Implications Enhancing dispositional mindfulness might have important positive effects in order to alleviate adverse impacts of minority stress and improve LGB people’s well-being, contributing to helping them navigate stigmatizing contexts better.
Does the relationship between sustainable human resource management and organizational identification vary by culture? Evidence from 35 countries based on GLOBE framework Dariusz Turek, Agnieszka Wojtczuk-Turek, Fiona Edgar, Nataliya Podgorodnichenko, Belgin Okay-Somerville, et al. Central European Management Journal, 2025 Purpose The article discusses the relationships between sustainable HRM and organizational identification, conceptualized at the individual level, and the moderating role of cultural dimensions conceptualized at the country level (described in GLOBE’s framework). The study’s theoretical model based on social exchange theory proposes that sustainable HRM practice increases organizational identification. However, the strength of this identification depends on the dimensions of national culture. Thus, we assumed national culture functions as a second-level moderator in the relationship between sustainable HRM and organizational identification. Design/methodology/approach We conducted the study with data from 10,421 employees across 35 countries. We used a multilevel modeling approach for data analysis. Findings The study revealed the cross-level interaction effects of national culture on the relationship between sustainable HRM practice and organizational identification. Specifically, the results indicate that sustainable HRM strengthens employees’ organizational identification more in cultures with higher levels of gender egalitarianism and lower levels of humane orientation. Originality/value This study demonstrates that the relationship between sustainable HRM practices and employees’ organizational identification is culturally sensitive. It highlights the need to consider cultural context when assessing the impact of sustainable HRM practices on employee outcomes. Furthermore, it shows that certain cultural dimensions can enhance the effect of sustainable HRM practices.
