Diana Boer | Universität Koblenz (original) (raw)

Papers by Diana Boer

Personality and Social …, Jan 1, 2011

How can shared music preferences create social bonds between people? A process model is developed... more How can shared music preferences create social bonds between people? A process model is developed in which music preferences as value-expressive attitudes create social bonds via conveyed value similarity. The musical bonding model links two research streams: (a) music preferences as indicators of similarity in value orientations and (b) similarity in value orientations leading to social attraction. Two laboratory experiments and one dyadic field study demonstrated that music can create interpersonal bonds between young people because music preferences can be cues for similar or dissimilar value orientations, with similarity in values then contributing to social attraction. One study tested and ruled out an alternative explanation (via personality similarity), illuminating the differential impact of perceived value similarity versus personality similarity on social attraction. Value similarity is the missing link in explaining the musical bonding phenomenon, which seems to hold for Western and non-Western samples and in experimental and natural settings.

Psychological Bulletin, 2013

This article examines how and when personal values relate to social attitudes. Considering values... more This article examines how and when personal values relate to social attitudes. Considering values as motivational orientations, we propose an attitude–value taxonomy based on Moral Foundation Theory (Haidt & Joseph, 2007) and Schwartz’s (1992) basic human values theory allowing predictions of (a) how social attitudes are related to personal values, and (b) when macro-contextual factors have an impact on attitude–value links. In a meta-analysis based on the Schwartz Value Survey (Schwartz, 1992) and the Portrait Value Questionnaire (Schwartz et al., 2001; k = 91, N = 30,357 from 31 countries), we found that self-transcendence (vs. self-enhancement) values relate positively to fairness/proenvironmental and care/prosocial attitudes, and conservation (vs. openness-to-change) values relate to purity/religious and authority/political attitudes, whereas ingroup/identity attitudes are not consistently associated with value dimensions. Additionally, we hypothesize that the ecological, economic, and cultural context moderates the extent to which values guide social attitudes. Results of the multi-level meta-analysis show that ecological and cultural factors inhibit or foster attitude–value associations: Disease stress is associated with lower attitude–value associations for conservation (vs. openness-to-change) values; collectivism is associated with stronger attitude–value links for conservation values; individualism is associated with stronger attitude–value links for self-transcendence (vs. self-enhancement) values; and uncertainty avoidance is associated with stronger attitude–values links, particularly for conservation values. These findings challenge universalistic claims about context-independent attitude–value relations and contribute to refined future value and social attitude theories.

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

Paternalistic leadership has been claimed to be one dominant leadership style in Asia. However, r... more Paternalistic leadership has been claimed to be one dominant leadership style in Asia. However, research failed to assess its comparability and applicability across East Asian contexts. The triad model of paternalistic leadership entails elements of authoritarian, benevolent, and moral character leadership. This article investigates the triad model of paternalistic leadership in mainland China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Paternalistic leadership occurs in an equivalent three-factorial structure indicating the applicability of the triad model, whereas some of the item intercepts vary between the four East Asian employee samples. These findings indicate generalizability of the meaning attributed to paternalistic leadership via three components, whereas the different measurement intercepts epitomize culture-specific scales across the four Asian contexts. The assessment of weak and strong measurement invariance is essential for an emerging cross-cultural research on paternalistic leadership by establishing evidence for the applicability and generalizability (including their boundaries) across cultural contexts.

European Management Journal

Greece has been suffering a severe crisis starting in about 2009. This paper examines the impact ... more Greece has been suffering a severe crisis starting in about 2009. This paper examines the impact of the recent economic crisis in Greece on employee work-related attitudes via changes in regulatory focus. We collected data in a large and heterogeneous sample of employees (N = 1024) during the crisis and compared them with a matched sample of employees surveyed (N = 882) half a decade earlier, i.e., before the crisis. Participants reported their job satisfaction, organizational commitment and their self-regulatory focus. Results show, as expected, that participants after start of the crisis were lower in extrinsic job satisfaction, affective organizational commitment and were also (unexpectedly) lower in normative commitment, while these attitudinal changes were explained by decreased promotion orientation and increased prevention focus. Rather unexpectedly, pre-crisis and crisis samples did not differ in levels of continuance commitment. This paper makes a relevant contribution by showing that the threatening crisis event does not only have negative effects on work-related outcomes, but also that changes in regulatory foci occur and explain attitudinal change indicating an adaptive mechanism to the threatening situation of an economic crisis.

International Journal of Cross Cultural Management

This study examined organizational practices in a sample of 1239 employees from various organizat... more This study examined organizational practices in a sample of 1239 employees from various organizations in Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, New Zealand, Turkey, and the United States. Twenty-four items measuring employee-orientation, formalization, and innovation practices showed a clear factorial structure across all samples, along with good reliabilities. Significant organizational position differences were found for employee-orientation and innovation practices. Sector differences were found for formalization and innovation practices. Cultural differences were found for employee-orientation and innovation practices, which can be explained using macroeconomic indicators, tightness–looseness, and individualism. Our study demonstrates the importance of individual, organizational, economic, and cultural level for understanding perceptions of organizational practices across a wider range of societies.

Psychology of Music

The present article explores the functions of music listening from a cross-cultural perspective. ... more The present article explores the functions of music listening from a cross-cultural perspective. We present a model of functions of music listening based on a multicultural qualitative approach. Our model covers personal, social and cultural musical experiences. Seven main functions of music listening were identified: music in the background, memories through music, music as diversion, emotions and self-regulation through music, music as reflection of self and social bonding through music. Our model was confirmed in an independent sample using a cross-method validation. Quantitative analyses of the qualitative data explored the salience of functions of music listening across four sub-samples: Asian and Latin-American sub-samples being more collectivistic and non- Anglophone Western and Anglophone Western sub-samples being more individualistic. Across all sub-samples the self-regulation function was the most important personal use of music, bonding was the most important social use of music and the expression of cultural identity was the most salient cultural function of music regardless of listeners’ cultural background. Apart from these similarities which point towards universalities, we also revealed cross-cultural differences pointing towards culture-specific uses of music. Limitations in the methodology of this exploratory cross-cultural approach and future directions in cross-cultural psychology of music are discussed.

Journal of Applied Social Psychology

Ethnomusicologists and sociologists have extensively discussed the symbolic role of music in the ... more Ethnomusicologists and sociologists have extensively discussed the symbolic role of music in the creation, maintenance, and expression of cultural and national identity, while the underlying social psychological processes remain unexplored. We elaborate psychological mechanisms of identity construction and identity expression through culture-specific music preferences. We propose and test a model linking music preferences to national identity via musical ethnocentrism in six student samples from Brazil, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, and the Philippines. In each context, culture-specific music styles were related to national identity of its listeners and musical ethnocentrism mediated these effects. This paper bridges culture-specific and universal perspectives on music and identity by examining the underlying psychological processes in Asian, Latin, and Western cultures.

Abstract We examined the functions of music listening from a cross-cultural perspective. Two stud... more Abstract We examined the functions of music listening from a cross-cultural perspective. Two studies were conducted to capture personal, social and cultural experiences with music. Young people were sampled; mainly online surveys were used. Study 1 is a qualitative multicultural study that identified seven main functions of music: background, memories, diversion, emotion, self-regulation, reflection of self, and social bonding.

Abstract: Populärmusik ist ein klassisches Attribut von Jugendkultur. Während es nahe liegt, präf... more Abstract: Populärmusik ist ein klassisches Attribut von Jugendkultur. Während es nahe liegt, präferierte Musik-Stile als Zeichenträger zu identifizieren, dürfte die Identifikation des Signifikats nicht ganz so einfach sein: zudem wird die Bedeutung wohl sozial konstruiert. Mit der sozialpsychologischen Theorie der Symbolischen Selbstergänzung (Wicklund & Gollwitzer 1985) wird der Verweis auf das Konstrukt der Identität plausibel. Dann aber erfordert die Ausdrucksfunktion bereits die soziale Validierung der Interpretanten.

Music is important in most people"s lives independent of their cultural origin.

Personality and Social …, 2011

International Journal of Psychology, 2012

How can we understand the uses of music in daily life? Music is a universal phenomenon but with s... more How can we understand the uses of music in daily life? Music is a universal phenomenon but with significant interindividual and cultural variability. Listeners’ gender and cultural background may influence how and why music is used in daily life. This paper reports the first investigation of a holistic framework and a new measure of music functions (RESPECT-music) across genders and six diverse cultural samples (students from Germany, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, and Turkey). Two dimensions underlie the mental representation of music functions. First, music can be used for contemplation or affective functions. Second, music can serve intrapersonal, social, and sociocultural functions. Results reveal that gender differences occur for affective functions, indicating that female listeners use music more for affective functions, i.e., emotional expression, dancing, and cultural identity. Country differences are moderate for social functions (values, social bonding, dancing) and strongest for sociocultural function (cultural identity, family bonding, political attitudes). Cultural values, such as individualism–collectivism and secularism–traditionalism, can help explain cross-cultural differences in the uses of music. Listeners from more collectivistic cultures use music more frequently for expressing values and cultural identity. Listeners from more secular and individualistic cultures like to dance more. Listeners from more traditional cultures use music more for expressing values and cultural identity, and they bond more frequently with their families over music. The two dimensions of musical functions seem systematically underpinned by listeners’ gender and cultural background. We discuss the uses of music as behavioral expressions of affective and contemplative as well as personal, social, and sociocultural aspects in terms of affect proneness and cultural values.Comment peut-on comprendre les utilisations de la musique dans la vie de tous les jours? La musique est un phénomène universel, mais qui comporte une variabilité interindividuelle et culturelle importante. Le sexe et le bagage culturel peuvent influencer les moyens et les raisons de l’utilisation de la musique dans la vie de tous les jours. Cet article rapporte la première étude d’un cadre holistique et une nouvelle mesure des fonctions de la musique (RESPECT-music) selon le sexe et en ayant recours à six échantillons culturels diversifiés (des étudiants de l’Allemagne, du Kenya, du Mexique, de la Nouvelle-Zélande, des Philippines et de la Turquie). Deux dimensions sont sous-jacentes à la représentation mentale des fonctions de la musique. Premièrement, la musique peut être utilisée pour la contemplation ou pour des fonctions affectives. Deuxièmement, la musique peut avoir des fonctions intra-personnelles, sociales et socioculturelles. Les résultats montrent qu’il y a des différences selon le sexe pour les fonctions affectives, c’est-à-dire l’expression émotionnelle, la danse et l’identité culturelle. Les différences selon le pays sont modérées en ce qui concerne la fonction socioculturelle (identité culturelle, les liens familiaux, les attitudes politiques). Les valeurs culturelles telles que l’individualisme-collectivisme et le modernisme-traditionalisme peuvent aider à comprendre les différences interculturelles dans les utilisations de la musique. Les auditeurs de cultures plus collectivistes utilisent plus souvent la musique pour exprimer des valeurs et l’identité culturelle. Les auditeurs de cultures plus modernistes et individualistes aiment plus danser. Les auditeurs de cultures plus traditionnelles utilisent plus la musique pour exprimer des valeurs et l’identité culturelle. Ils établissent aussi plus fréquemment des liens avec leur famille à partir de la musique. Les deux dimensions des fonctions de la musique semblent être systématiquement soutenues par le sexe et le bagage culturel des auditeurs. Nous discutons des utilisations de la musique en tant qu’expressions comportementales d’aspects affectifs et contemplatifs de même que personnels, sociaux et socioculturels en termes de prédisposition affective et de valeurs culturelles.Cómo se puede entender el uso de la música en la vida cotidiana? La música es un fenómeno universal pero con variabilidad interindividual y cultural significativas. Tanto el género como el trasfondo cultural de los oyentes pueden influir la manera y la razón por la cual se utiliza la música en la vida cotidiana. Este trabajo informa sobre la primera investigación de un marco integral y una nueva medición de las funciones musicales (RESPECT-music) a través de los géneros y muestras de seis diversas culturas (alumnos de Alemania, Kenia, Méjico, Nueva Zelanda, Filipinas y Turquía). Existen dos dimensiones subyacentes a la representación mental de las funciones musicales. En primer lugar, la música se puede usar para la contemplación o funciones afectivas. En segundo lugar, puede tener funciones intrapersonales, sociales o socioculturales. Los resultados revelan que existen diferencias de género en las funciones afectivas, y muestran que las oyentes femeninas utilizan más la música para funciones afectivas, es decir, para la expresión emocional, el baile y la identidad cultural. Las diferencias de países son moderadas para las funciones sociales (valores, vínculos sociales, baile) y más fuertes para la función sociocultural (identidad cultural, vínculos familiares, actitudes políticas). Los valores culturales, tales como individualismo-colectivismo y secularismo-tradicionalismo, colaboran a la hora de explicar las diferencias transculturales en el uso de la música. Los oyentes provenientes de culturas más colectivistas usaron la música con mayor frecuencia para expresar valores e identidad cultural. A los oyentes provenientes de culturas más seculares e individualistas les gusta bailar más. Los oyentes provenientes de culturas más tradicionales utilizan la música con mayor frecuencia para expresar valores e identidad cultural, y con mayor frecuencia establecen vínculos con sus familias por medio de la música. Las dos dimensiones de las funciones musicales parecen apoyarse sistemáticamente en el género y trasfondo cultural del oyente. Se analizan los usos de la música como expresiones de comportamientos afectivos y contemplativos, como también sus aspectos personales, sociales y socioculturales respecto de las tendencias afectivas y los valores culturales.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011

What is more important: to provide citizens with more money or with more autonomy for their subje... more What is more important: to provide citizens with more money or with more autonomy for their subjective well-being? In the current meta-analysis, the authors examined national levels of well-being on the basis of lack of psychological health, anxiety, and stress measures. Data are available for 63 countries, with a total sample of 420,599 individuals. Using a 3-level variance-known model, the authors found that individualism was a consistently better predictor than wealth, after controlling for measurement, sample, and temporal variations. Despite some emerging nonlinear trends and interactions between wealth and individualism, the overall pattern strongly suggests that greater individualism is consistently associated with more well-being. Wealth may influence well-being only via its effect on individualism. Implications of the findings for well-being research and applications are outlined.

Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 2009

This meta-analysis of interventions with challenging behaviour in children with disabilities upda... more This meta-analysis of interventions with challenging behaviour in children with disabilities updates a comprehensive meta-analysis that previously addressed reported standards of practice and effectiveness of different strategies. Four effect-size algorithms were calculated for published intervention cases, and results analysed and compared to previous findings by behaviour target, intervention type, and other factors. The evidence largely supports intervention effectiveness, with some inconsistency reflecting the fact that the four metrics assess different aspects of change. Skills replacement, consequence combined with systems change, and antecedent interventions generated selective positive results, large enough to be clinically meaningful. Behavioural interventions effectively reduce challenging behaviour, particularly when preceded by a functional analysis. Teaching replacement skills was most effective, especially if used in combination with systems change and/or traditional antecedent and consequence manipulation. Positive changes as well as enduring limitations to both research design and standards of clinical practice in comparison to 18 years ago are discussed.

Articles by Diana Boer

Political Psychology, 2021

A generalized climate of distrust in political institutions is not functional to healthy democrac... more A generalized climate of distrust in political institutions is not functional to healthy democracies. With the advent of social media, recent scholarly efforts attempt to better understand people's conspiracy theory beliefs in inhibiting institutional trust. This study contributes to this literature by considering the direct antecedent effects of uncertainty avoidance and the moderating role of active social media use—SMU (i.e., interactional SMU, informational SMU, and political expressive SMU). The former is theorized to enable conspiracy theories to thrive, while the latter should cushion the negative effects of conspiracy beliefs on institutional trust. Relying on diverse survey data across different cultures from Europe, the Americas, and New Zealand (N = 11,958) and applying structural equation modeling, findings supported the hypothesized model. In high uncertainty‐avoidance societies, where less well‐known situations are perceived as uncomfortable or downright threatening, conspiracy beliefs proliferate and negatively impact institutional trust. Active SMU attenuates these effects. Via social media, citizens have the ability to strengthen social relationships (interactional SMU), keep themselves informed about the community (informational SMU), and engage in political self‐expression (political expressive SMU), which mitigate conspiracy‐belief negative effects on institutional trust. Future research implications and key limitations of the study are all discussed.