Unpacking Our Psychological Reactions to High-Profile Violence
Understanding Psychological Reactions to High-Profile Violence
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the complex psychological reactions to high-profile acts of violence, using a recent incident involving the death of a healthcare CEO as a case study. The discussion delves into the psychological phenomena of priming, scapegoating, and how media framing affects public sentiment. The episode also examines the collective responses to systemic healthcare failures and the role of digital communication in amplifying emotional reactions. Leslie highlights the importance of understanding these psychological currents to foster a more empathetic and proactive society.
00:00 Introduction to PsyberSpace
00:24 Exploring Psychological Reactions to Violence
01:08 Priming and Initial Reactions
03:36 Scapegoating and Blame
10:21 The Role of Media in Shaping Perceptions
13:38 Systemic Healthcare Failures and Psychological Impact
16:26 Leadership and Crisis Response
19:05 Collective Identity and Solidarity
22:03 Systemic Review and Institutional Change
24:36 Pathways to Meaningful Change
26:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Research:
Aquino, K., et al. (2021). Vigilantism, Violence, and the Defense of Social Order. Academy of Management Proceedings.
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the complex psychological reactions to high-profile acts of violence, using a recent incident involving the death of a healthcare CEO as a case study. The discussion delves into the psychological phenomena of priming, scapegoating, and how media framing affects public sentiment. The episode also examines the collective responses to systemic healthcare failures and the role of digital communication in amplifying emotional reactions. Leslie highlights the importance of understanding these psychological currents to foster a more empathetic and proactive society.
00:00 Introduction to PsyberSpace
00:24 Exploring Psychological Reactions to Violence
01:08 Priming and Initial Reactions
03:36 Scapegoating and Blame
10:21 The Role of Media in Shaping Perceptions
13:38 Systemic Healthcare Failures and Psychological Impact
16:26 Leadership and Crisis Response
19:05 Collective Identity and Solidarity
22:03 Systemic Review and Institutional Change
24:36 Pathways to Meaningful Change
26:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Research:
Aquino, K., et al. (2021). Vigilantism, Violence, and the Defense of Social Order. Academy of Management Proceedings.
Asif, M. (2022). Police legitimacy and approval of vigilante violence: The significance of anger. Theoretical Criminology.
Asif, M., & Weenink, D. (2019). Vigilante rituals theory: A cultural explanation of vigilante violence. European Journal of Criminology.
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Bandura, A., et al. (1996). Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement in the Exercise of Moral Agency. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Bateson, R. (2020). The Politics of Vigilantism. Comparative Politics.
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Chen, F. X., et al. (2022). The vigilante identity and organizations. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.
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Cikara, M. (2015). Intergroup Schadenfreude: motivating participation in collective violence. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences.
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Haas, N. E., et al. (2014). Public support for vigilantism, confidence in police and police responsiveness.
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Rice, C. (2015). A Group Therapist Reflects on Violence in America. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy.
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Soares, M., et al. (2018). Police Officers' Perspectives on State (Police) Violence: A Sociomoral and Psychological-Driven Study on Disengagement.
Tedeschi, J., et al. (1994). Violence, aggression & coercive actions.
Thomas, N. K. (2015). There's Always a Villain to Punish: Group Processes Contributing to Violence and Its Remediation. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy.
Trepte, S., et al. (2017). Social Identity Theory and Self‐Categorization Theory.
White, A., et al. (2009). Justice by Any Means Necessary: Vigilantism among Indian Women.
Zaki, J. (2020). Catastrophe Compassion: Understanding and Extending Prosociality Under Crisis. Trends in Cognitive Sciences.
Zmigrod, L., et al. (2020). Cognition and Emotion in Extreme Political Action.
Zmigrod, L., et al. (2021). Cognition and Emotion in Extreme Political Action: Individual Differences and Dynamic Interactions. Current Directions in Psychological Science.
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