Dr. Giovanni A. Travaglino (University of Kent, UK., and The Chinese University of Hong Kong at Shenzhen) Gives a Speech at Uchida Lab

On April 9th, 2018, Dr. Giovanni A. Travaglino (University of Kent in the UK and The Chinese University of Hong Kong at Shenzhen in China) visited the Uchida lab to give a talk about the role of masculine honor ideology in organized crime groups (mafia) in Southern Italy.

The detailed content of his talk can be found below:

There are circumstances and contexts in which male violence may be perceived as honorable. In line with a masculine honor ideology, male violence may become acceptable or even normative when it is used to protect one’s family, property or reputation from verbal or physical threats. This ideology is rooted in norms of self-reliance and social distance from the State. Importantly, this ideology is amplified in mafia-type groups, criminal organizations that originate in the Southern Italian context and operate internationally. These groups have strong social, economic and political power over local communities, and present themselves as being the embodiment of masculinity and honor. In this talk, I describe a research program examining the role of masculine honor ideology in young people’s perception of, and intention to oppose such groups. This research program tests the general hypothesis that the embedding of masculine honor ideology at the individual level regulates intergroup relations in society by legitimizing these criminal organizations, and by reducing public opposition against them. I present empirical evidence for this proposition and illustrate the psychological mechanisms implied, examining – in particular – the role of factors such as regional identity, social change beliefs, and contact with members of organized crime groups. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.


Dr. Giovanni A. Travaglino

With the Uchida Lab staff

2018/04/25