Murphy, Owen (2023) Exploring the role of Gratitude and Blame in Societal Discontent. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Recent polls indicate a prevalent sense of societal discontent across the world, with 77% of Dutch people in particular identifying we are headed in the wrong direction as a society. Building on past research which linked media narratives to this discontent, this study investigates the role of gratitude and blame in influencing societal discontent, and the potential mediating role of a new construct, Alienation in Society. In a one-factor experimental design with three conditions (Gratitude, Blame, and Neutral), 231 participants on Prolific Academic were assessed both pre and post-experiment. Participants in the gratitude and blame groups completed exercises adapted from existing gratitude journaling. Regression analysis indicated that gratitude exercises significantly reduced levels of discontent while blame showed a borderline insignificant increase. Mediation analysis suggests that Alienation in Society is related to Societal Discontent by the nature of this relationship is not fully understood. Qualitative analysis explored how society in constructed with a notably more social orientation. This research pioneers in manipulating societal discontent, paving the way for future investigations into the intricacies of societal discontent the role of affective experiences like gratitude.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Supervisor name: | Postmes, T.T. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Applied Social Psychology (ASP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 18 Aug 2023 14:42 |
| Last Modified: | 19 Apr 2024 14:10 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/2760 |
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