Do information,price, or morals influence ethical consumption? A natural field experiment and customer survey on the purchase of Fair Trade coffee

We address ethical consumption using a natural field experiment on the actual purchase of Fair Trade (FT) coffee in three supermarkets in Germany. Based on a quasi-experimental before-and-after design the effects of three different treatments – information, 20% price reduction, and a moral appeal – are analyzed. Sales data cover actual ethical purchase behavior and avoid problems of social desirability. But they offer only limited insights into the motivations of individual consumers. We therefore complemented the field experiment with a customer survey that allows us to contrast observed (ethical) buying behavior with self-reported FT consumption. Results from the experiment suggest that only the price reduction had the expected positive and statistically significant effect on FT consumption.     

Measuring multiple discrimination through a survey-based methodology

This paper focuses on the concept of multiple discrimination and its measurement through survey methods. The study was designed as a quasi-experimental comparison of survey mode effects on the quality of discrimination measurement: the traditional ‘face-to-face’ survey, the conventional self-completed mode and CAWI (finally deleted due to its non-comparability). Consistent with our hypothesis, some support was obtained for the social desirability bias and survey mode effects: 1) self-administration of questionnaires favours the declaration of discriminatory attitudes and personal experiences of discrimination; 2) the effect of privacy is greater in direct indicators of discriminatory attitudes; 3) perceptions and experiences of discrimination are more frequently reported by highly educated respondents. Nevertheless, contrary to our expectations, less educated respondents are also affected by survey mode and continue to be underrepresented in self-completed methods. The current research aims to serve as a basis for further research in this area.     

Assessing the effect of social desirability on nativism attitude responses

Attempts to measure and analyze public opinion attitudes toward racial/ethnic minorities often confront the “social desirability” problem: those who have prejudiced attitudes are rarely willing to admit them to surveyors. Instead, they may be more likely to give a socially acceptable answer rather an accurate reflection of their views. Previous research has clearly established that this effect presents a challenge for accurately measuring self-reported racial and policy attitudes that primarily affect African–Americans. It is less clear, however, how it might affect self-reported responses to attitudes dealing with Latinos and immigration. This study thus seeks to analyze the extent to which social desirability may affect survey measures of perceived levels of cultural threat (nativism). Results from two separate analyses using the Crowne–Marlowe “social desirability scale” and a survey “list experiment” demonstrate that social desirability is indeed a concern for accurately measuring nativism in the American public, but that it exerts an opposite effect from what has previously been observed: nativist attitudes tend to be over-reported in opinion surveys.     

Differential investments and opportunities: How do neighborhood conditions moderate the relationship between perceived housing discrimination and social capital?

Though the adverse consequences of perceived housing discrimination have been documented, little is known about whether such experience undermines one's social capital in a neighborhood and even less is about whether and how this relationship is altered by neighborhood features. We proposed a framework that simultaneously considers within-individual and between-neighborhood processes. We applied multilevel structural equation models to data from Philadelphia (n = 9987) and found that (a) perceived housing discrimination was negatively associated with one's social capital even after other confounders were considered, (b) this negative association could be partly explained by the proliferated daily stress and anxiety mechanisms, (c) differential exposures to neighborhood social disadvantage accounted for the variation in social capital across neighborhoods, and (d) the adverse association between perceived housing discrimination and social capital could be attenuated by neighborhood stability. The findings suggested that appropriate interventions should buffer the negative association of perceived housing discrimination with social capital.     

Threat,prejudice and the impact of the riots in England

This paper examines how a major outbreak of rioting in England in 2011 impacted on prejudice toward three minority groups in Britain: Muslims, Black British and East Europeans. We test whether the riots mobilized individuals by increasing feelings of realistic and symbolic threat and ultimately prejudice, or whether the riots galvanized those already concerned about minorities, thus strengthening the relationship between threat and prejudice. We conducted three national surveys – before, after and one year on from the riots – and show that after the riots individuals were more likely to perceive threats to society’s security and culture, and by extension express increased prejudice toward Black British and East European minorities. We find little evidence of a galvanizing impact. One year later, threat and prejudice had returned to pre-riots levels; however, results from a survey experiment show that priming memories of the riots can raise levels of prejudice.     

“自由”和“共同体”之间——从西方社会理论看社会建设的价值取向和实践层面

社会建设的目标是同时兼顾可欲和可行、也即具有现实可能性的“好社会”;“好社会”应兼顾、平衡、协调社会整合(共同体的追求)和个人的自由与尊严.要兼顾、平衡自由和共同体,第一,必须在理论上澄清自由和共同体这两种价值的关系,特别是要论证说明,自由和共同体是可以互相支持的力量,而不是纯粹对立的双方;第二,必须在实践上处理好三个相互联系、相互作用的层面的问题,即制度(体制)层面的问题、结构层面的问题和心理层面的问题.     

语码转换:社会距离与社会身份的隐性标志

语码转换是社会语言学研究领域的一个重要方面,与各种社会因素之间存在着密切的内在联系。其中,体现人际关系的社会距离和身份,与语码转换之间的内在关系显得尤为重要。本文从社会语言学的三个不同研究角度探讨语码转换与社会距离和身份的内在联系:情景、隐喻语码转换与社会距离和身份;"域"与社会距离和身份;有标记语码转换与社会距离和身份。文中阐明了社会距离和身份既是语码转换的重要内在动机之一,又是语码转换的主要目的之一,从而使之成为体现和鉴定社会距离和身份的一个隐性标志。     

我国农民工就业歧视:现状、原因及政策建议

就业是民生之本。农民工问题的核心是农民工就业问题,农民工就业问题的实质是就业歧视。消除就业歧视、实现平等就业是"推动实现更高质量就业"的题中应有之义。进入21世纪以来,我国农民工政策已经趋向相对公平,但是农民工就业歧视问题至今依然没有得到有效解决。我国农民工在就业准入、从事行业、劳动工资、居住条件、工作环境、工作时间、社会保障和职业发展方面遭遇到了歧视性对待。农民工就业歧视产生的原因主要在用人单位、政府和社会三个方面。要消除农民工就业歧视,用人单位必须转变对农民工的歧视观念,规范劳动用工管理制度。政府需要建立健全农民工信息服务平台,完善农民工就业服务体系;加强劳动保障监察,发挥企业工会职能;建立和完善相关法律法规,加大行政执法力度;逐步改革户籍制度,健全社会保障制度。社会各界共同努力,逐步消除社会歧视。     

Experiencing discrimination in Los Angeles: Latinos at the intersection of legal status and socioeconomic status

Despite its recent slowdown, immigration from Latin America continues to be a controversial issue. Some scholars argue that the social climate is increasingly inhospitable to Latinos, potentially fueling discriminatory attitudes and behaviors. However, little research has examined Latinos' experiences with discrimination, especially variation by nativity and legal status. We address this issue with research on perceived discrimination among Mexican and Central American residents of Los Angeles County, a major destination for Latin American immigrants. Using data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey and the American Community Survey, the analyses consider immigrants’ legal status, intersectionality, and competing perspectives on assimilation. The results show that undocumented immigrants do not report especially high levels of discrimination. Instead, young U.S.-born Latinos are the most likely to report mistreatment in interpersonal and institutional domains. Neighborhood ethnoracial and income diversity also have implications for perceived exposure to different types of discrimination.     

Spaces of encounter and attitudes towards difference: A comparative study of two European cities

Scholars have been increasingly interested in how everyday interactions in various places with people from different ethnic/religious background impact inter-group relations. Drawing on representative surveys in Leeds and Warsaw (2012), we examine whether encounters with ethnic and religious minorities in different type of space are associated with more tolerance towards them. We find that in Leeds, more favourable affective attitudes are associated with contact in institutional spaces (workplace and study places) and socialisation spaces (social clubs, voluntary groups, religious meeting places); however, in case of behavioural intentions – operationalised as willingness to be friendly to minority neighbours – only encounters in socialisation spaces play a significant role in prejudice reduction. In Warsaw, people who have contacts with ethnic and religious minorities in public (streets, park, public services and transport) and consumption spaces (cafés, pubs, restaurants) express more positive affective attitudes towards them, but only encounters in consumption space translate into willingness to be friendly to minority neighbours.     

Diversity preferences among employees and ethnoracial workplace segregation

Ethno-racial workplace segregation increases already existing ethno-racial inequality. While previous research has identified discriminatory employers as drivers of workplace segregation, this study addresses the role of the employees. Sociological and social psychological theory suggest that people prefer to surround themselves with people who positively confirm their social identity or who contribute with higher group status. Through web-based surveys, we measure employee attitudes and preferences concerning ethno-racial workplace diversity, to what extent they differ by ethnicity/race, and if they contain intersectional patterns. Thereafter, we use simulation models to analyze the consequences for workplace segregation that these preferences would have, if realized.The main survey results showed that all ethno-racial groups favored their own in-group as colleagues, especially European Americans. As a secondary choice, the respondents preferred the out-group with the highest labor market status. Intersectional patterns were identified, as minority women were preferred as colleagues over minority men. Our simulation model, based on the results of two surveys on stated vs. indirectly revealed preferences, showed that employee preferences were at best not diverse enough to desegregate workplaces. When based on the most common preferences (i.e. excluding a few outliers), the simulations even suggested that these preferences can cause segregation. We relate these findings to Schelling's model of segregation.     

What determines the rejection of immigrants through an integrative model

This study tests different explanations of anti-immigrant attitudes through a model that incorporates aspects of group conflict, social identity and intergroup contact theories. Multigroup structural equation modelling was applied in three surveys, which tracked the same indicators in no similar economic and migratory contexts. In times of economic crisis, the perceived economic threat seems to lead more to discrimination and rejection of immigrants (in line with Group Conflict Theory), while sense of cultural threat is more likely to curb any desire for coexistence with them. Both threats show to be affected by the perceived size of the immigrant population, which increases the feeling of threat in those traditionally favourable to immigration. Other explanatory factors were also corroborated. Increasing contact with immigrants helps to lessen rejection, especially in the case of cultural threat. Effects due to insecurity were less marked and those relating to qualification were contrary to what was hypothesized.     

The differential impact of discrimination on health among Black and White women

Despite a large body of research examining the impact of discrimination on health, the ways in which perceived discrimination may lead to disparate health outcomes through a sense of self and system consciousness is less understood. The current paper is concerned with both mental and physical health consequences of discrimination, as well as mediating pathways among African American and White women. Indirect effects analyses examine mediating paths from discrimination to health outcomes via structural awareness and self-esteem, using data from the Women's Life Path Study (N = 237). Our findings suggest that discrimination is both directly and indirectly associated with health outcomes for both Black and White women, mediated by individual (self-esteem) and group-level (structural awareness) processes. Evidence from this study indicates that discrimination is associated with heightened structural awareness, as well as lower self-esteem – both of which are related to poorer health. Discrimination negatively affected health across three domains, although the mechanisms varied somewhat for Black and White women. Broad implications of this research for interdisciplinary scholarship on the effects of discrimination on health and health disparities are discussed.     

农民工公共服务歧视性供给现象探究——基于公共服务均等化的视角

城市农民工在公共服务方面存在多方面的歧视和不公平对待,其主要根源是二元经济结构和户籍制度的限制。以“基本公共服务均等化”为普遍标准解决农民工问题,就需要推动二元经济结构和户籍制度的改革,转变政府治理理念：而“公共服务均等化”意味着政府将致力于逐步缩小城乡之间、不同区域之间、不同群体的基本公共服务差距．推动社会管理向实现基本公共服务均等化、城乡居民权利平等的社会治理转变,以促进社会公平和正义,共同享受改革开放的成果。     

The effect of sociodemographic (mis)match between interviewers and respondents on unit and item nonresponse in Belgium

Interviewer characteristics affect nonresponse and measurement errors in face-to-face surveys. Some studies have shown that mismatched sociodemographic characteristics – for example gender – affect people's behavior when interacting with an interviewer at the door and during the survey interview, resulting in more nonresponse. We investigate the effect of sociodemographic (mis)matching on nonresponse in two successive rounds of the European Social Survey in Belgium. As such, we replicate the analyses of the effect of (mis)matching gender and age on unit nonresponse on the one hand, and of gender, age and education level (mis)matching on item nonresponse on the other hand. Recurring effects of sociodemographic (mis)match are found for both unit and item nonresponse.     

Does Islam play a role in anti-immigrant sentiment? An experimental approach

Are Muslim immigrants subjected to targeted opposition (i.e., Islamophobia) on their pathway to US citizenship? Using a list experiment and a representative sample of the US population, we compare explicit and implicit opposition to Muslim and Christian immigrants. We find that Muslim immigrants, relative to Christian immigrants, experience greater explicit resistance. However, when social desirability bias is taken into account via the list experiment, we find that opposition to Christian and Muslim immigrants is the same. The explanation is that respondents conceal a significant amount of opposition to Christian immigrants. Muslim immigrants, on the other hand, are afforded no such protection. We find that religiosity or denomination do not play a significant role in determining implicit or explicit opposition. We conclude that Islamophobia, which is only explicitly expressed, is best understood as reflective of social desirability bias from which Muslim immigrants do not benefit.     

个体极端行为及其影响因子LOGIT分析

转型社会的特殊性导致个体非理性行为日益凸显,极端行为是其中的典型.个体行为非理性因素是极端行为的产生根源.文章通过131例极端行为个案调研,运用LOGIT模型分析研究发现人格因素和情景系数是决定极端行为发生率的有效变量,人格变量受气质、人格和自我控制三大因子影响,极端行为中的人格因子是可衡量的,基于气质、性格和个体自我控制三因子有效性,显著极端行为人存在预见可能.不同于传统心理学从认知角度考量人的行为,尝试结合经济学手段来定义极端行为的选择因素.     

Like strangers we trust: Identity and generic affiliation networks

Sociological research on collective behavior provides strong evidence for the sources of collective action and shared attitudes based on overlapping experience. We know, for example, that members of social movement organizations are likely to share similar beliefs. However, a significant portion of the prior research on shared behaviors or attitudes analyzes individuals who do not know one another. This research using large surveys often infers overlapping experience based on generic connections: People in unions generally or church groups generally are likely to hold similar beliefs or engage in similar behaviors as if they were in the same unions or church groups. In this paper, I challenge this simple inference by arguing that the generic affiliations we hold contribute to our identity. Specifically, our identities can, in part, be seen as a network of overlapping roles based on generic affiliations. Findings indicate the importance of considering generic affiliation networks when modeling trust and political partisanship. Individuals who share multiple affiliations often appear to be similar to one another along a number of socio-demographic dimensions and report similar attitudes. Conclusions highlight the promise and challenge of relational approaches to social life.     

New strategies for biosample collection in population-based social research

This paper aims to increase understanding of the methodological issues involved in adding biomeasures to social research by investigating the potential of an event-triggered, self-collection technique for monitoring biological response to social events. We use data from the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life (RDSL) study, which collected saliva samples triggered by a life event important to the aims of the study – the end of a romantic relationship. Our investigation found little evidence that those who complied in the biosample collection were different from those who did not comply in terms of key study measures and sociodemographic characteristics. We also found no evidence that the biosample collection had adverse consequences for subsequent panel participation. We did find that prior cooperation in the study was an important predictor of biosample cooperation, which is important information in developing biosample collection strategies. As demand for biological samples directly linked to social data continues to grow, effective low-cost collection methods will become increasingly valuable. The evidence here indicates that self-collected biosamples may offer tremendous potential to meet this demand.     

Preferences,constraints, and the process of sex segregation in college majors: A choice analysis

The persistence of horizontal sex segregation in higher education continues to puzzle social scientists. To help resolve this puzzle, we analyze a sample of college entrants in Germany with a discrete choice design that allows for social learning from the experiences of others. We make at least two contributions to the state of research. First, we test whether essentialist gender stereotypes affect major selection mostly through internalization or rather as external constraints that high school graduates adapt their behavior to. Empirically, we find that internalized vocational interests better explain gendered major choices than conformance with friends' and parents' expectations does. Second, we scrutinize whether segregation results from women's anticipation of gendered family roles or from their anticipation of sex-based discrimination, but we find no evidence for either of these hypotheses. As in most previous studies, differences in mathematics achievement fail to explain gendered patterns of selection into college majors.