Soziologie

» Veröffentlicht am 15. Mai 2024

New Paper by Sattler and Colleagues on the Prevalence of Legal, Prescription, and Illegal Drugs Aiming at Cognitive Enhancement

Abstract

There has been speculation about a growing demand for substances used without medical need for cognitive enhancement (CE). Thus, the prevalence rates and the identification of sociodemographic groups at risk of this behavior need further description and constant monitoring. We conducted a nationwide web-based representative sample (N = 22,101) (regarding sex, age, education, and federal state) of the general adult population in Germany. Results show a high past twelve months prevalence of consuming caffeinated drinks for CE (62.4% of respondents), followed by food supplements and home remedies (31.4%), and caffeine tablets (2.5%). The twelve-month prevalence of CE with prescription drugs was 3.7% (lifetime: 5.5%), of whom 29.1% reported using them 40 or more times; 40.5% of all respondents indicated some future intake willingness. Cannabis was the most frequently reported illegal drug for CE (past twelve months: 4.0%; lifetime: 10.7%), followed by the category amphetamine and methamphetamine (past twelve months: 1.0%; lifetime: 2.4%), and cocaine (past twelve months: 0.9; lifetime: 2.4%). We also show variation in the prevalence across multiple ascribed and achieved sociodemographic characteristics. These results can inform public policy and prevention strategies regarding the continued monitoring of the prevalence of CE and the identification of groups at risk of drug misuse.

LINK: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01639625.2024.2334274

» Veröffentlicht am 25. März 2024

Call for Papers: "Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Neuroenhancement: Current Developments and Impact on the Individual and Society" in Bielefeld

Conference Date: December 10-12, 2024

Location: Bielefeld University, Center for Interdisciplinary Research, ZiF), Bielefeld, Germany

Submission deadline: April 15th, 2024

Organizers:

o Dr. Sebastian Sattler (Faculty of Sociology, Bielefeld University, GER)

o Prof. Dr. Saskia Nagel (Department for Society, Technology, and Human Factors, RWTH Aachen University, GER)

o Dr. Dimitris Repantis (Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité Berlin, GER)

o Prof. Dr. Guido Mehlkop (Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences; Institute for Planetary Health Behaviour, University of Erfurt, GER)

Keynote speakers:

o Dr. Caterina Cinel (School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (CSEE), University of Essex, UK)

o Prof. Dr. Marcello Ienca (School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, GER)

o Prof. Dr. Ty Schepis (Department of Psychology, Texas State University, USA)

o Prof. Dr. Anna Wexler (Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, University of Pennsylvania, USA)

Topic:

We are on the verge of many pioneering activities and scientific breakthroughs concerning brain-computer interfaces, brain stimulation, and neurochemicals, that have the potential to go beyond the treatment of diseases to enhance cognitive performance in work, education, and leisure. At the same time, societal processes such as the quest for self-optimization or transformations in and outside of the labor market (e.g., digitalization, increasing stress, and cognitive demands) may create the desire, but also the pressure, to use such neuroenhancement. These developments require the attention of an interdisciplinary dialog. The conference aims to unravel the inherent complexity of neuroenhancement by bringing together ethicists, sociologists, psychologists, engineers, pharmacologists, neuroscientists, political scientists, and legal scholars. By fostering interdisciplinary exchange, we aim to illuminate the multifaceted dimensions of neuroenhancement and facilitate future collaborations.

Information about abstract submission and further details:

Please submit your abstract via e-mail to: enhance.conference@uni-bielefeld.de

Please use the abstract style sheet on the conference homepage (LINK).

Conference homepage: Please click on this LINK.

Travel support: We will provide travel support.

» Veröffentlicht am 12. März 2024

New publication by Sebastian Sattler in Social Science & Medicine on a situational test of the Health Belief Model

Taflinger, S., Sattler, S. (2024): A Situational Test of the Health Belief Model: How Perceived Susceptibility Mediates the Effects of the Environment on Behavioral Intentions. Social Science & Medicine 346: 116715 [Link]

» Veröffentlicht am 27. Februar 2024

Neue Westfälische berichtet über Forschung von Cristóbal Moya, Sebastian Sattler, Carsten Sauer und Shannon Taflinger zu sozialen Normen bei COVID-19 Impfungen

In der Ausgabe vom 23.22024 berichtet die Neue Westfälische über Forschung zu doppelten Standards bei COVID-19 Impfungen und wie sich dies auf Meinungen und Erwartungen zu Kündigungen auswirkt. Vor etwa zwei Jahren gab es Diskussionen zum Thema Impfpflicht in Deutschland und es stellte sich die Frage, inwieweit sich Impfen als soziale Norm verstehen lässt und wie sich das auf dem Arbeitsmarkt auswirkt. Dabei ging es auch um doppelte Standards, also ob bei einer Impfverweigerung besondere Nachteile für Frauen, Ältere und Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund, die ohnehin oft benachteiligt werden. Ein Ergebnis der Studie ist, dass Menschen, die sich nicht impfen lassen wollen, nach Ansicht der Mehrheit der Befragten, im Job mit Sanktionen in Form von Kündigungen rechnen müssen. Außerdem schätzten das Risiko, dass diese Personen eine Kündigung erhalten, deutlich höher ein. Das galt insbesondre für Befragte, die nicht geimpft waren. Die Studie, über die in der Neuen Westfälischen berichtet wurde, ist in Scientific Reports erschienen.

» Veröffentlicht am 31. Januar 2024

New Publication by Dr. Sattler et al. on Measuring Complete Well-Being and Human Flourishing

Sattler, S., Wilkinson, R., Lee, M. T. (2023). Eine kurze und umfassende Messung des subjektiven Wohlergehens - Eine bevölkerungsbasierte Validierung der deutschen Version der Human Flourishing Scale bestehend aus dem Flourish Index (FI) und dem Secure Flourish Index (SFI). Zusammenstellung sozialwissenschaftlicher Items und Skalen (ZIS). LINK=https://doi.org/10.6102/zis333_exz

» Veröffentlicht am 3. Januar 2024

New Paper by Moya, Sattler and Sauer on Double Standards in the Labor Market when Violating the Social Norm of Vaccination

Moya, C., Sattler, S., Taflinger, S., Sauer, C. (2024): Examining double standards in layoff preferences and expectations for gender, age, and ethnicity when violating the social norm of vaccination. Scientific Reports 14: 39. [Link]

Abstract

Whether vaccination refusal is perceived as a social norm violation that affects layoff decisions has not been tested. Also unknown is whether ascribed low-status groups are subject to double standards when they violate norms, experiencing stronger sanctions in layoff preferences and expectations, and whether work performance attenuates such sanctioning. Therefore, we study layoff preferences and expectations using a discrete choice experiment within a large representative online survey in Germany (N=12,136). Respondents chose between two employee profiles, each with information about ascribed characteristics signaling different status groups (gender, age, and ethnicity), work performance (work quality and quantity, and social skills), and whether the employees refused to vaccinate against COVID-19. We found that employees who refused vaccination were more likely to be preferred and expected to be laid off. Respondents also expected double standards regarding layoffs due to vaccination refusal, hence, harsher treatment of females and older employees. Nonetheless, their preferences did not reflect such double standards. We found little support that high work performance attenuates these sanctions and double standards, opening questions about the conditions under which social biases arise. Our results suggest detrimental consequences of vaccination refusal for individuals, the labor market, and acceptance of health policies.

» Veröffentlicht am 3. Januar 2024

New Paper by Sebastian Sattler on the How Terrorist Attacks Impact Drinking

Pradel, F., Sattler, S. (2023): Health Consequences of a Death Threat: How Terrorist Attacks Impact Drinking. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy. [Link]

» Veröffentlicht am 18. Dezember 2023

New paper on the adherence to behavioral measures against the spread of COVID-19

Sattler, S., Taflinger, S., Ernst, A., Hasselhorn, F. (2024). Ein moderiertes Mediationsmodell zur Erklärung der Beziehung zwischen Risikogruppenzugehörigkeit, Wahrnehmung der Bedrohung, Wissen und Einhaltung der COVID-19-Verhaltensmaßnahmen. Pp. 33-69, in: Henzler, I., Hues, H., Sonnleitner, S., Wilkens, U. (eds.), Extended Views. Gesellschafts- und wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Perspektiven auf die COVID-19-Pandemie (Köln: Böhlau) Übersetzung aus dem Englischen von: doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.842368.

Background: COVID-19 is a threat to individual and global health, thus, reducing the disease’s spread is of significant importance. However, adherence to behavioral measures against the spread of COVID-19 is not universal, even within vulnerable populations who are at higher risk of exposure to the virus or severe COVID-19 infection. Therefore, this study investigates how risk-group membership relates to adherence to COVID-19 behavioral measures, whether perceived threat of COVID-19 is a mechanism explaining this relationship, and whether knowledge about COVID-19 moderates these effects. Methods: We conducted a web-based survey (N = 4,096) representative of the adult population in Germany with regard to gender, age (18 to 74), and province. Therein, we assessed risk group membership with two indicators (risk of exposure to COVID-19 and risk of severe COVID-19 infection), perceived COVID-19 threat with the Perceived Coronavirus Threat Questionnaire, knowledge about COVID-19 with a knowledge test; and adherence to six behavioral measures to protect against the spread of COVID-19 (e.g., keeping distance, using mouth-nose protection, and following contact restrictions). We used moderated mediation models to test whether perceived threat mediates the relationship between risk-group membership and adherence and whether knowledge about COVID-19 moderates this relationship.

» Veröffentlicht am 18. Dezember 2023

New paper on the impact of COVID 19 on sleep

ABSTRACT

Das wahrgenommene Risiko einer COVID-19-Exposition und eines schweren COVID-19-Verlaufs beeinträchtigt den Schlaf: Die mediierenden und moderierenden Rollen von Ängstlichkeit und Wissen in Bezug auf COVID-19

Zerbini, G., Taflinger, S., Reicherts, P., Kunz, M., Sattler, S. (2024): Das wahrgenommenen Risiko einer COVID-19-Exposition und eines schweren COVID-19-Verlaufs beeinträchtigen den Schlaf: Die mediierende und moderierende Rolle von COVID-19-bezogenen Ängsten und Wissen. Pp. 71-95, in: Henzler, I., Hues, H., Sonnleitner, S., Wilkens, U. (eds.), Extended Views. Gesellschafts- und wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Perspektiven auf die COVID-19-Pandemie (Köln: Böhlau). Übersetzung aus dem Englischen von: doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13569

Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to increased levels of stress, depression, and anxiety in many people around the world. Therefore, identifying individuals at risk of psychosocial burden during this unprecedented crisis is essential for developing prevention measures and treatment options for mental health issues. To this aim, we investigated two risk groups: individuals at higher risk of exposure to the virus and individuals at higher risk of poor prognosis if they contract the virus. We conducted a survey (N = 4,167) with a representative sample of the German population and assessed perceived risk of COVID-19 exposure and poor prognosis if infected, COVID-19-related anxiety, problems with sleep and daytime functioning, as well as self-reported knowledge about the disease. Results showed that perceived risk group membership was linked to increased problems with sleep and daytime functioning via elevated levels of COVID-19-related anxiety. This mediated effect was further moderated by self-reported COVID-19 knowledge, but only for individuals who rated themselves at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure. Thus, knowledge buffered the negative effect of exposure risk on anxiety and ultimately on sleep in this risk group. Reaching individuals at increased risk of exposure with clear information about the disease, how to prevent infection, and treatment options could be an effective strategy to contain anxiety levels and promote good sleep, which is important for general well-being.

» Veröffentlicht am 29. November 2023

New paper on measuring complete subjective well-being with the Flourish Index (FI) and the Secure Flourish Index (SFI)

Sattler, S., Wilkinson, R., & Lee, M. T. (2023). A Brief Measure of Complete Subjective Well-Being in Germany: A Population-Based Validation of a German Version of the Flourish Index (FI) and the Secure Flourish Index (SFI). PLOS One 18(11): e0284892. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284892.

» Veröffentlicht am 6. Juli 2023

New paper by Sebastian Sattler and colleagues in the European Journal of Social Psychology about sleep-deprived or cognitively enhanced colleagues and effects on group performance

Sattler, S., Faber, N. Häusser, J. (2023, online first): Working with a sleep-deprived or a cognitively enhanced team member compromises motivation to contribute to group performance How Enhanced and Impaired Colleagues Affect Performance Norms and Work Motivation. European Journal of Social Psychology. ►LINK

Abstract

How does knowing another team member is cognitively impaired or enhanced affect people's motivation to contribute to the team's performance? Building on the Effects of Grouping on Impairments and Enhancements (GIE) framework, we conducted two between-subjects experiments (N_total = 2,352) with participants from a representative, nationwide sample of the working population in Germany. We found that another group member's impairment (sleep deprivation) and enhancement (taking enhancement drugs) lowered participants’ intentions to contribute to the team's performance. These effects were mediated by lowered perceived competence (enhancement and impairment) and warmth (only enhancement) of the other group member. The reason for being impaired or enhanced (altruistic vs. egoistic reason) moderated the indirect effect of the impairment on intended effort via warmth. Our results illustrate that people's work motivation is influenced by the psychophysiological states of other group members. Hence, the enhancement of one group member can have the paradoxical effect of impairing the performance of another.

» Veröffentlicht am 24. April 2023

New Scale to Measure Sleep Problems and Impaired Daytime Functioning by Sebastian Sattler Published in ZIS – Open Access Repository for Measurment Instruments

Sattler, S., Seddig, D., Zerbini, G. (2023). Die Messung von Schlafproblemen und der Beeinträchtigung der Tagesform mittels der Athens Insomnia Scale for Non-Clinical Application (AIS-NCA) in deutscher und englischer Sprache. Zusammenstellung sozialwissenschaftlicher Items und Skalen (ZIS). https://doi.org/10.6102/zis329. ►LINK

ABSTRACT: The “Athens Insomnia Scale for Non-Clinical Application (AIS-NCA)” assesses problems with sleep (4 items) and with daytime functioning (3 items). It is also possible to use all seven items for a total score. The AIS-NCA has been developed for non-clinical applications and is available in both German (AIS-NCA-G) and English (AIS-NCA-E).

» Veröffentlicht am 20. März 2023

New Paper on Stigmatization in the Context of COVID-19 by Sebastian Sattler Published in BMC Public Health

Sattler, S., Maskileyson, D., Racine, E., Davidov, E., Escande, A. (2023). Stigmatization in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey Experiment Using Attribution Theory and the Familiarity Hypothesis. BMC Public Health 23: 521. ►LINK

Abstract

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global health crisis, leading to stigmatization and discriminatory behaviors against people who have contracted or are suspected of having contracted the virus. Yet the causes of stigmatization in the context of COVID-19 remain only partially understood. Using attribution theory, we examine to what extent attributes of a fictitious person affect the formation of stigmatizing attitudes towards this person, and whether suspected COVID-19 infection (vs. flu) intensifies such attitudes. We also use the familiarity hypothesis to explore whether familiarity with COVID-19 reduces stigma and whether it moderates the effect of a COVID-19 infection on stigmatization.

Methods

We conducted a multifactorial vignette survey experiment (2⁸-design, i.e., N_Vignettes = 256) in Germany (N_Respondents = 4,059) in which we experimentally varied signals and signaling events (i.e., information that may trigger stigma) concerning a fictitious person in the context of COVID-19. We assessed respondents’ cognitive (e.g., blameworthiness) and affective (e.g., anger) responses as well as their discriminatory inclinations (e.g., avoidance) towards the character. Furthermore, we measured different indicators of respondents’ familiarity with COVID-19.

Results

Results revealed higher levels of stigma towards people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 versus a regular flu. In addition, stigma was higher towards those who were considered responsible for their infection due to irresponsible behavior. Knowing someone who died from a COVID infection increased stigma. While higher self-reported knowledge about COVID-19 was associated with more stigma, higher factual knowledge was associated with less.

Conclusion

» Veröffentlicht am 16. Januar 2023

New Study by Sebastian Sattler on Stigma in the Context of Disability published in Public Understanding of Science

Sample, M., Sattler, S., Racine, E., Boehlen, W. (2023): Brain-Computer Interfaces, Disability, and the Stigma of Refusal: A Factorial Vignette Study. Public Understanding of Science. (shared 1st authorship). doi.org/10.1177/09636625221141663s. ►LINK

Abstract

» Veröffentlicht am 9. Januar 2023

New Publication by Sebastian Sattler on Cooperative Behavior in the Workplace published in Frontiers in Psychology

Sattler, S., Dubljevic, V., Racine, E. (2022): Cooperative Behavior in the Workplace: Empirical Evidence from The Agent-Deed-Consequences Model of Moral Judgment. Frontiers in Psychology 13: 1064442. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1064442

Introduction: Moral judgment is of critical importance in the work context because of its implicit or explicit omnipresence in a wide range of work-place practices. The moral aspects of actual behaviors, intentions, and consequences represent areas of deep preoccupation, as exemplified in current corporate social responsibility programs, yet there remain ongoing debates on the best understanding of how such aspects of morality (behaviors, intentions, and consequences) interact. The ADC Model of moral judgment integrates the theoretical insights of three major moral theories (virtue ethics, deontology, and consequentialism) into a single model, which explains how moral judgment occurs in parallel evaluation processes of three different components: the character of a person (Agent-component); their actions (Deed-component); and the consequences brought about in the situation (Consequences-component). The model offers the possibility of overcoming difficulties encountered by single or dual-component theories. Methods: We designed a 2 × 2 × 2-between-subjects design vignette experiment with a Germany-wide sample of employed respondents (N = 1,349) to test this model. Results: Results showed that the Deed-component affects willingness to cooperate in the work context, which is mediated via moral judgments. These effects also varied depending on the levels of the Agent- and Consequences-component. Discussion: Thereby, the results exemplify the usefulness of the ADC Model in the work context by showing how the distinct components of morality affect moral judgment. LINK