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.
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
Eyewitness identification: Metacognitive influences on choosing behaviour. There is major national and community interest in the successful conduct of criminal investigations. This research addresses the two most significant problems associated with the conduct of eyewitness identification tests: mistaken identifications of innocent suspects and failure to identify guilty suspects when they are present in the lineup. Progress on the latter problem - which results in offenders avoiding detection ....Eyewitness identification: Metacognitive influences on choosing behaviour. There is major national and community interest in the successful conduct of criminal investigations. This research addresses the two most significant problems associated with the conduct of eyewitness identification tests: mistaken identifications of innocent suspects and failure to identify guilty suspects when they are present in the lineup. Progress on the latter problem - which results in offenders avoiding detection - would be a major contribution with national impact. As well as the obvious implications for the conduct of lineups, the international collaboration on the project will increase the visibility of Australian social science research and provide crucial development opportunities for young Australian scientists.Read moreRead less
Outcomes of collective action: After the blockade, what next? The project intends to study how collective actors react when conventional or radical collective action succeeds or fails. If a democratic protest rally is ignored by authorities, does support for violence increase? If a turbulent riot attracts favourable media attention and concessions, does this increase the likelihood of future riots or undercut them? This project aims to answer these questions. It plans to test a new, theoreticall ....Outcomes of collective action: After the blockade, what next? The project intends to study how collective actors react when conventional or radical collective action succeeds or fails. If a democratic protest rally is ignored by authorities, does support for violence increase? If a turbulent riot attracts favourable media attention and concessions, does this increase the likelihood of future riots or undercut them? This project aims to answer these questions. It plans to test a new, theoretically integrative model of collective action and the intergroup dynamic, using a mixed-methods approach including experiments, small group research and longitudinal field surveys. Project outcomes may provide an evidence basis for policy-makers' debates about trajectories of radicalisation and deradicalisation, and for recommendations about engagement and negotiation of tactics for activists, political parties, and nongovernment organisations.Read moreRead less
Supply-side dynamics in the private rental housing market. Demographic and socio-economic trends, along with changes in housing policy, have resulted in increased reliance on the private rental sector. This has led to growing concerns about its capacity to respond. Our understanding of the supply dynamics of this tenure, and particularly that of low rent housing, is underdeveloped. This gap in our knowledge is due to lack of data and to methodological difficulties. Recent advances in econometric ....Supply-side dynamics in the private rental housing market. Demographic and socio-economic trends, along with changes in housing policy, have resulted in increased reliance on the private rental sector. This has led to growing concerns about its capacity to respond. Our understanding of the supply dynamics of this tenure, and particularly that of low rent housing, is underdeveloped. This gap in our knowledge is due to lack of data and to methodological difficulties. Recent advances in econometric techniques, in conjunction with the assembly of a unique data set, will be used to examine previously untested explanations, including microlevel filtering, behavioural,hazard function and spatial analyses.Read moreRead less
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
Theoretical and policy implications of changing work/life patterns and preferences of Australian women, men and children, households and communities. This project establishes a Research Fellowship for Ass. Prof. Barbara Pocock, that will principally analyse and investigate, over five years, the relationship of changing patterns of work (broadly defined) in Australia, and the changing nature of Australian households, communities and workplaces. The study explores the effects of work upon househol ....Theoretical and policy implications of changing work/life patterns and preferences of Australian women, men and children, households and communities. This project establishes a Research Fellowship for Ass. Prof. Barbara Pocock, that will principally analyse and investigate, over five years, the relationship of changing patterns of work (broadly defined) in Australia, and the changing nature of Australian households, communities and workplaces. The study explores the effects of work upon households, along with individual preferences and household, community and workplace structures (and their interaction), drawing out implications for social theory and policy. It will analyse policy, quantitative data, and collect and analyse new qualitative data at Australian sites, within an international context.Read moreRead less
The distortion of eyewitness identification testimony. A fair and efficient criminal justice system is important. This project will contribute to the continually expanding knowledge base required for improving the collection and use of eyewitness identification testimony. Ultimately, the adoption of principles suggested by this knowledge base will improve the validity and probative value of eyewitness evidence. This will advance the already significant contribution that Australian psychological ....The distortion of eyewitness identification testimony. A fair and efficient criminal justice system is important. This project will contribute to the continually expanding knowledge base required for improving the collection and use of eyewitness identification testimony. Ultimately, the adoption of principles suggested by this knowledge base will improve the validity and probative value of eyewitness evidence. This will advance the already significant contribution that Australian psychological science is providing for the administration of criminal justice. Read moreRead less
Temporary Migration To and From Australia: Changing Patterns, Causes and Implications. As is the case in other traditional migration countries, Australian international migration is undergoing a paradigmatic shift whereby temporary migrations are assuming unprecedented scale and diversity. However the bulk of immigration research in Australia remains locked in to an earlier paradigm in which permanent settlement was dominant. This study analyses the nature of the temporary flows and the forces ....Temporary Migration To and From Australia: Changing Patterns, Causes and Implications. As is the case in other traditional migration countries, Australian international migration is undergoing a paradigmatic shift whereby temporary migrations are assuming unprecedented scale and diversity. However the bulk of immigration research in Australia remains locked in to an earlier paradigm in which permanent settlement was dominant. This study analyses the nature of the temporary flows and the forces driving them with a view to developing more contemporarily relevant theory to explain them. It assesses the demographic, social and economic impacts of temporary migration and draws out the policy implications in the Australian context.Read moreRead less
Circular Migration in Asia, the Pacific and Australia: Empirical, Theoretical and Policy Dimensions. Few issues have been more significant in contemporary Australia than international migration. It is of fundamental importance to Australia's future as it faces the global economic downturn, ageing, climate change and an ever-changing relationship with its Asia-Pacific neighbours. In the past Australia's migration relationship with its region has been almost totally seen as a source of skilled s ....Circular Migration in Asia, the Pacific and Australia: Empirical, Theoretical and Policy Dimensions. Few issues have been more significant in contemporary Australia than international migration. It is of fundamental importance to Australia's future as it faces the global economic downturn, ageing, climate change and an ever-changing relationship with its Asia-Pacific neighbours. In the past Australia's migration relationship with its region has been almost totally seen as a source of skilled settlers. However this relationship is increasingly a more complex one. Migration will continue to be fundamental to the nation's economy, society and security and this study seeks to provide an evidence base for better policy and practice in immigration and development.Read moreRead less