Psychological research suggests that violent extremism (e.g., terrorism) stems partly from existential motives, such as individuals’ need to achieve significance in life after experiencing failure, ostracism, or humiliation (Significance Quest Theory; SQT). Parallel investigations from sociology and criminology established similar findings by linking anomia—a syndrome including feelings of meaninglessness, powerlessness, isolation, self‐estrangement, and normlessness—with violent behavior. In line with SQT, this contribution tested if anomia could mediate Loss of Significance effects on violent extremism. Accordingly, three studies conducted in France highlight indirect effects of exposure to discrimination on legitimation of political violence (Study 1, cross‐sectional, minority population sample, N = 110), violent behavioral intentions (Study 2, experimental, undergraduate sample, N = 249), and support for ISIS fighters (Study 3, experimental, undergraduate sample, N = 221) through anomia. A subsequent study shows this indirect effect to be robust when controlled for Social Dominance Orientation and Political Extremism (Study 4, cross‐sectional, undergraduate sample, N = 279). A final investigation re‐analyzing data collected in Turkey highlights a reverse effect when the independent variable tapped into social inclusion (rather than exclusion; Study 5, cross‐sectional, undergraduate sample, N = 321). This indirect effect was also robust to Political Extremism and Intolerance as control variables. These results support the usefulness of considering anomia as a proximal predictor of violent extremism in a SQT perspective.

Drugs and cannabis are two complex, multifaceted social objects. Two exploratory research projects were conducted from semi-directive interviews (n = 50) and questionnaires (n = 300) in order to investigate the social representations contained in these two objects according to both the social characteristics of individuals (gender, age) and their proximity to cannabis (consumption versus non-consumption). The study of their representations allows for emphasis to be placed upon the socio-cognitive reconstruction that individuals maneuver, reconstruction largely influenced by the social insertion of individuals but also by their method of cannabis consumption. Knowledge of these representations seems to be a tool for understanding the often complex realities linked to the world of drugs and allows for reflection upon more adapted prevention methods.

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RESUMO: O objetivo do estudo é analisar os conteúdos que integram a representação social da espiritualidade entre pessoas que vivem com HIV/Aids assistidas no serviço de atendimento especializado de um hospital universitário no Rio de Janeiro. É um estudo descritivo, de natureza qualitativa, apoiado na teoria do núcleo central das representações sociais, realizado no período de março a setembro de 2015 com 166 pacientes assistidos no Serviço de Atendimento Especializado em aids do referido hospital. Utilizou-se a técnica de evocação livre de palavras ao termo indutor espiritualidade na coleta de dados e o questionário sociodemográfico para caracterização dos participantes. Os dados do questionário foram organizados no software excel e os conteúdos das evocações foram tratados pela técnica do quadro de quatro casas e analisados à luz dos pressupostos da teoria do núcleo central. Os resultados evidenciaram que houve predomínio de pessoas do sexo masculino com idade entre 41 a 60 anos. Declararam-se, por ordem de frequência, católicos, espíritas e evangélicos, sendo que 30 indivíduos afirmaram não professar nenhuma religião. Os elementos que compõem o núcleo central da representação são ter fé, Deus e religião, sendo que ter fé e Deus são os possíveis elementos centrais pelos fortes laços que estabelecem com os demais termos presentes na representação. Conclui-se que a representação da espiritualidade está organizada em dois polos, o divino e o humano, que têm uma relação direta ou é mediado pela religião.

Résumé L’objectif de cette étude est d’analyser le rôle joué par le rapport au temps dans le vécu des situations de précarité, au travers de l’étude des régulations sociales de la Perspective Temporelle (PT) et du rôle de cette variable psychosociale dans les liens entre situations de précarité et troubles psychologiques. L’analyse des données recueillies auprès de 275 consultants d’un centre d’examens de santé fait apparaître les régulations sociales dont la PT fait l’objet, ainsi que les liens que le rapport au passé entretient à la fois à la précarité et aux troubles psychologiques (troubles anxieux, humeur dépressive). Enfin, les résultats suggèrent le rôle médiateur joué par le rapport négatif au passé dans l’émergence des troubles psychologiques liés aux situations de précarité.