Research Utilisation in Child Protection Policy: Understanding and Conceptualising the Role of Research in Social Policy Development. The findings of this project will have significant benefits for vulnerable children and families by enhancing the capacity for research-informed policy in child protection. In this way, the project will also have significant flow-on economic benefits for Local, State and Federal Governments by decreasing the social and economic costs associated with child abuse an ....Research Utilisation in Child Protection Policy: Understanding and Conceptualising the Role of Research in Social Policy Development. The findings of this project will have significant benefits for vulnerable children and families by enhancing the capacity for research-informed policy in child protection. In this way, the project will also have significant flow-on economic benefits for Local, State and Federal Governments by decreasing the social and economic costs associated with child abuse and neglect. Research funding will have a greater impact by the increased understanding this study will provide about how research can be more effectively used in policy.Read moreRead less
Social exclusion in adolescence: risks, assets, experiences and policy action. This project aims to investigate social exclusion among young people aged 8 to 17 including the risks of exclusion they face, the assets mobilised to support their inclusion and their life experiences in the context of these risks and assets. The project intends to investigate which risks, assets and experiences are most closely related to outcomes, and how these vary by age and gender. Expected outcomes include a new ....Social exclusion in adolescence: risks, assets, experiences and policy action. This project aims to investigate social exclusion among young people aged 8 to 17 including the risks of exclusion they face, the assets mobilised to support their inclusion and their life experiences in the context of these risks and assets. The project intends to investigate which risks, assets and experiences are most closely related to outcomes, and how these vary by age and gender. Expected outcomes include a new understanding of the relationship between social exclusion and outcomes in adolescence as well as entry points for policy intervention. Addressing social exclusion in adolescence will lead to improved outcomes in health, education and productivity, and a more socially-cohesive society.Read moreRead less
Strengthening Australia's Domestic and Family Violence Workforce . This project aims to generate an evidence base on the nature of domestic and family violence (DFV) work and the implications for the DFV workforce across victim, perpetrator and Aboriginal specialist services. Using the innovative method of rapid ethnography, this project expects to provide a comparative understanding of DFV work and workforce practices and requirements. Expected outcomes include workforce development strategies ....Strengthening Australia's Domestic and Family Violence Workforce . This project aims to generate an evidence base on the nature of domestic and family violence (DFV) work and the implications for the DFV workforce across victim, perpetrator and Aboriginal specialist services. Using the innovative method of rapid ethnography, this project expects to provide a comparative understanding of DFV work and workforce practices and requirements. Expected outcomes include workforce development strategies that are responsive to the context and needs of DFV work. Given the high social, health and economic costs of DFV, investing in the DFV workforce has national benefits including improved services and better client and worker wellbeing.
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Deservingness and emotions. The project will address a key neglected area in the psychology of emotion, namely on how different emotions relate to perceptions that outcomes such as success or failure are deserved or undeserved. It will add to leadership on this issue and contribute to Australia's worldwide reputation for research on social justice and deservingness. The project will have implications for applied areas of national significance that include health-related issues and issues concern ....Deservingness and emotions. The project will address a key neglected area in the psychology of emotion, namely on how different emotions relate to perceptions that outcomes such as success or failure are deserved or undeserved. It will add to leadership on this issue and contribute to Australia's worldwide reputation for research on social justice and deservingness. The project will have implications for applied areas of national significance that include health-related issues and issues concerned with national safety, given the fact that emotions like sympathy can determine helping behaviour, and emotions like resentment can trigger revenge and conflict.Read moreRead less
How do we seek justice after hurt, offence or terror? Retributive and restorative responses. The project will address a neglect of the concept of restorative justice in psychology. It will add to the leadership on this issue of Australian researchers from other disciplines and contribute to Australia's worldwide reputation in this field. The project will determine when people are motivated to use restorative justice. Hence, it will contribute to the effective implementation of restorative justic ....How do we seek justice after hurt, offence or terror? Retributive and restorative responses. The project will address a neglect of the concept of restorative justice in psychology. It will add to the leadership on this issue of Australian researchers from other disciplines and contribute to Australia's worldwide reputation in this field. The project will determine when people are motivated to use restorative justice. Hence, it will contribute to the effective implementation of restorative justice practices, for them to be considered legitimate and able to contribute to the reduction of crime, to reconciliation after conflict and international peace. The research seeks to make a contribution to a safer, more cohesive Australia and inform its missions for conflict resolution (in the region) and thus reduce causes of terrorism.Read moreRead less
When and why forgiveness promotes justice. Responding to victimisation with forgiveness has been credited with many positive effects; for individual victims in terms of their mental health, for the maintenance of social relationships, as well as for the reconciliation between larger groups after conflict. This research project will identify processes and conditions that make forgiveness more conducive to victims' sense of justice, and thus a more satisfying and effective response option. Next to ....When and why forgiveness promotes justice. Responding to victimisation with forgiveness has been credited with many positive effects; for individual victims in terms of their mental health, for the maintenance of social relationships, as well as for the reconciliation between larger groups after conflict. This research project will identify processes and conditions that make forgiveness more conducive to victims' sense of justice, and thus a more satisfying and effective response option. Next to advancing Australia's scholarship in this vibrant research field, the findings will help administrators give victims a sense of justice while repairing interpersonal and intergroup relations important for a healthy social fabric.Read moreRead less
Identifying and resolving challenges to the effectiveness of collective apologies. It is increasingly common for nations and organisations to apologise for current or past wrongdoing. This research investigates the unique psychological reasons for why collective apologies (as opposed to interpersonal ones) might struggle to win acceptance for victim groups; with an eye to identifying conditions that facilitate intergroup forgiveness.
The psychology of gridlock: Compromise, coalitions, and radicalisation. This project aims to test an innovative psychological model of collective gridlock. Using interviews, surveys, experiments, small group research, and analysis of social media data, the project aims to examine critical pathways in gridlock psychology, where opponents are locked into mutually suboptimal outcomes, unable to move forward. These pathways include the exit or self-censorship of moderates; normative pressure towards ....The psychology of gridlock: Compromise, coalitions, and radicalisation. This project aims to test an innovative psychological model of collective gridlock. Using interviews, surveys, experiments, small group research, and analysis of social media data, the project aims to examine critical pathways in gridlock psychology, where opponents are locked into mutually suboptimal outcomes, unable to move forward. These pathways include the exit or self-censorship of moderates; normative pressure towards purity and refusal to compromise; tactical choices to avoid coalitions; and radicalisation. The research aims to develop novel interventions to reduce polarisation and radicalisation, and to promote compromises, which together will help society respond more nimbly and effectively to social and environmental challenges.Read moreRead less
Toward a social-psychology of prejudice reduction: Examining lay beliefs. This project aims to expand social–psychological knowledge of prejudice by examining beliefs about what prejudice is, as well as the social and psychological factors affecting these beliefs. If people believe their own intergroup attitudes (even negative ones) to be correct and normative, anti-prejudice appeals will likely be rejected. What is needed, then, is an analysis of what people believe to be prejudice or not in th ....Toward a social-psychology of prejudice reduction: Examining lay beliefs. This project aims to expand social–psychological knowledge of prejudice by examining beliefs about what prejudice is, as well as the social and psychological factors affecting these beliefs. If people believe their own intergroup attitudes (even negative ones) to be correct and normative, anti-prejudice appeals will likely be rejected. What is needed, then, is an analysis of what people believe to be prejudice or not in the first place, and how these beliefs are changed. This project aims to provide this analysis via qualitative and quantitative experimental social-psychological research. Project outcomes are expected to clarify social–psychological theory, offering new insight into how anti-prejudice arguments can be successful.Read moreRead less
How utopian thinking influences political engagement. There is evidence of growing political apathy in many countries. Yet, political disengagement is a serious problem for processes of democracy and the adaptiveness of society. This project draws on recent theorising within the psychological sciences to investigate the role of prospection - the creative imagining of ideal worlds ('utopian thinking') - as a key driver of political engagement. The project will test whether and how utopian thinkin ....How utopian thinking influences political engagement. There is evidence of growing political apathy in many countries. Yet, political disengagement is a serious problem for processes of democracy and the adaptiveness of society. This project draws on recent theorising within the psychological sciences to investigate the role of prospection - the creative imagining of ideal worlds ('utopian thinking') - as a key driver of political engagement. The project will test whether and how utopian thinking stimulates a questioning of the status quo, moral engagement, and the formation of new groups to address social change: outcomes critical for a society to adapt and advance. Educators, government and non-government organisations can draw on project findings to re-engage a disaffected populace.Read moreRead less