Title Promoter Affiliations Abstract "A Cultural Psychological Approach to Acculturation" "Jozefien De Leersnyder" "Social and Cultural Psychology" "In the current research program, I further develop and empirically test a cultural psychological approach to acculturation. This approach centers on the notion of ‘cultural fit’ – i.e., the extent to which an individual’s pattern of psychological functioning is similar to the typical pattern of others in the socio-cultural context. I start from the cultural psychological insights that people are socially ‘wired’ to fit their socio-cultural context and that cultural fit bears positive consequences in terms of both well-being and social thriving. I then bring these insights into traditional acculturation psychology to argue that when people migrate to another socio-cultural context, not only their explicitly endorsed cultural attitudes and identities may change – as has been the focus of traditional acculturation research – but also the ways feel, think and act may change, such that immigrant minorities may come to fit their new/other socio-cultural context.I spell out four research lines to empirically test this novel theory, thereby drawing on both my expertise and previously gathered preliminary evidence in the domain of emotion. Research line 1 makes use of cross-sectional studies to map the acculturation of a wider range of psychological processes (e.g., cognition, motivation, self-concept). Research line 2 employs two large scale studies that document the complex interplay between the acculturation of explicit domains (e.g., identity) and implicit domains (e.g., cognition) across time and different social contexts. Research line 3 consists of a series of longitudinal, interactive experimental studies that investigate the socialization processes that occur in intercultural interactions, and that may account for psychological acculturation and cultural fit. A final research line cuts across all other three to address the question how acculturation – in its complex, multi-faceted and context-dependent form – is associated with minorities’ well-being and educational outcomes." "Beauty and Inequality: Physical appearance, social disadvantage and symbolic boundaries on three continents." "Giselinde Kuipers" "Centre for Sociological Research" "How does beauty contribute to inequality? This project aims to build a comprehensive theory of beauty and inequality to answer this question; and to develop a long-term research agenda focusing on the cultural dimensions of inequalities. Beauty is selected as a strategic field to study the growth and changing nature of social inequalities in today’s media-saturated, service-based societies. This project will break new ground in understanding how the drawing of symbolic boundaries on the basis of cultural factors such as beauty shapes durable inequalities. It is the first project to systematically map beauty standards, and analyze their consequences for social exclusion, social sorting and social classification. Employing a mixed-methods comparative design in Asia, Europe and North-America, it pioneers new methods and instruments and will yield rich empirical data. The project brings together hitherto dispersed knowledge from cultural sociology, sociology of stratification, social psychology, media studies and economy. It will transcend boundaries between disciplines and will forge durable networks of scholars and stakeholders in Leuven and beyond." "Emotional Interactions in Couples: A Comparison Between Belgium and Japan." "Batja Gomes de Mesquita" "Social and Cultural Psychology, Quantitative Psychology and Individual Differences" "Do couples’ emotional interactions vary across cultures? In this dissertation, I address this question in a focus group and couple-conflict study across two cultures: Belgium and Japan. Couples in Belgian and Japanese cultural contexts emphasize different relationship goals: independence and autonomy are valued in Belgium, while interdependence and harmony are emphasized in Japan. To the extent that emotions are shaped by cultural relationship goals, Belgian and Japanese couples may engage in different emotional interactions during a disagreement. First, we investigate how Belgian and Japanese partners conceive of couple disagreement. Second, we examine if –– in line with culturally specific conceptions of couple disagreement –– Belgian and Japanese couples engage in different 1) emotional behaviors and 2) interpersonal emotional sequences during an ongoing disagreement. Finally, we investigate whether engaging in culturally typical emotional interactions is beneficial for the relationship.In a focus group study (Chapter 2), we examine Belgian and Japanese partners’ beliefs and ideas about couple disagreement. Using thematic analyses, we find that Belgian partners conceive of couple disagreement as inevitable and necessary. They value tackling disagreement head on and believe that conflict resolution requires direct communication, disclosing feelings, and asserting personal needs. In contrast, Japanese partners are hesitant to address disagreement and if possible, may avoid it altogether. Disagreement is not viewed as necessary if partners adjust to each other’s expectations. Emotional control, perspective taking and mindreading –– strategies that prioritize the partner’s needs –– are considered instrumental for dealing with disagreement, as they reaffirm mutual adjustment.In the subsequent studies, we propose that Belgian and Japanese couples engage in different emotional interactions during an actual disagreement, in line with varying relationship and disagreement goals. We conducted a large couple-conflict study in which couples were video-recorded while they discussed a disagreement in the lab. In Chapter 3, we use self-report data of emotions (i.e., disengaging emotions such as annoyance, and engaging emotions such as guilt) and emotion suppression to examine if cultural variation in emotion suppression depends on the type of emotional experience. We find that Japanese partners use emotion suppression more than Belgian partners, and that the difference in suppression is especially pronounced when disengaging emotions trump engaging emotions, but not when the reverse is true. This corresponds with the value Japanese partners place on emotional control and suggests that Japanese partners hide those emotions that are harmful for the relationship –– disengaging emotions, like annoyance, imply direct confrontation, which may impede mutual adjustment during disagreement. In Chapter 4, we use observed emotion data collected with the Specific Affect Coding System (SPAFF), and investigate cultural differences in emotional behavior. We find that behaviors that support independent goals –– anger and domineering –– are more prevalent in Belgium than in Japan. These behaviors highlight personal needs, and influence the partner to change behavior according to one’s wishes. Yet, emotional behaviors that fit the goal of interdependence –– validation (i.e., showing understanding) and fear/tension (i.e., worry to hurt the partner) –– are more prevalent in Japan than in Belgium. These behaviors promote perspective taking and conflict avoidance. Engaging in emotional behaviors that fit the cultural norm also contribute to better relational functioning, if only in Japan. In a final study (Chapter 5), we investigate cultural variation in couples’ interpersonal emotional sequences. We find that Belgian partners engage in sequences that involve anger, which align with self-assertion and autonomy. In contrast, Japanese partners engage in sequences that focus on criticism, which, in pointing out the partners flaws, may encourage the other to change and adjust to relational expectations.In conclusion, this dissertation provides evidence for the idea that couples’ emotional interactions differ across cultures in systematic and meaningful ways; the emotional interactions elicited by a disagreement correspond with the relationship goals emphasized in each culture. This dissertation also highlights the idea that emotional behaviors, especially the culturally valued ones, are crucial relational tools that align couples’ interactions with the cultural goals and values, and help couples function in culturally ‘right’ and healthy ways." "Is biculturalism a resource or hindrance for minority school achievement? A multi-method approach" "Karen Phalet" "Social and Cultural Psychology" "In light of debates over multiculturalism and evidence of minority disadvantage, we examine when biculturalism (identifying with both minority and majority cultures) promotes minority school achievement. Asking how biculturalism meshes with the prevailing multicultural climate, Study 1 tests when bicultural identity helps or hinders minority performance across schools and societies with different diversity attitudes (CILS4EU in Sweden, UK, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany). Biculturalism should support school performance only in contexts sympathetic to multiculturalism (like Sweden); and hamper performance in antithetical contexts (like Germany). Extending a social identity approach to biculturalism, Study 2 longitudinally tests identity (dis)valuation as the underlying process that accounts for differential biculturalism – achievement associations between schools with different diversity climates in Belgium. Modifying stereotype threat and self-affirmation paradigms, Study 3 proposes field experiments which (a) replicate differential effects of experimentally induced identity threat on minority performance as a function of identity valuation in Belgian schools; and (b) test different identity valuation interventions in Belgian and British schools: Teachers give either self- or culture-affirmation exercises, where (c) either minority or majority or both cultures are affirmed. Students who affirmed their (bi)cultural values should perform better over 3 months." "Dynamics of visionary lay devotion. The representation of visions, dreams and apparitions in late medieval and early modern miracle collections in the Low Countries (1350-1750)." "Centre for Urban History, Research centre Ruusbroec Institute" "This project will provide insight into the nature and development of the visionary experience of ordinary lay people in the later Middle Ages and Early Modern period, a phenomenon yet to be explored. To achieve this objective, reported visions in vernacular miracle books originated in cult centres in the Low Countries from 1300 to 1700 books will be assembled. The combination of textual, contextual and comparative analysis of this corpus, will (1) shed light on the characteristics of the experience of the visionary protagonists and of cult centre register practices, (2) map chronological shifts and regional fluctuations in the nature of reported lay visions and the intensity of their occurrence. Subsequently, (3) the findings will be interpreted by correlating them with specific cult-related developments, as well as with developments in the official Church norms and regulation of lay visions. The analysis will be informed by concepts from various fields such as historicalanthropology, religious philosophy and historical psychology. The project will lead to a differentiated view of the nature and role of lay visions in late medieval and early modern devotion and pilgrimage culture and will significantly contribute to our understanding of the dynamics of lay piety and popular religion." "The dynamics of visionary lay devotion. Visions and apparitions in late medieval and early modern miracle books from the Low Countries (1300-1700)." "Centre for Urban History, Research centre Ruusbroec Institute" "This project will provide insight into the nature and development of the visionary experience of ordinary lay people in the later Middle Ages and Early Modern period, a phenomenon yet to be explored. To achieve this objective, reported visions in vernacular miracle books originated in cult centres in the Low Countries from 1300 to 1700 books will be assembled. The combination of textual, contextual and comparative analysis of this corpus, will (1) shed light on the characteristics of the experience of the visionary protagonists and of cult centre register practices, (2) map chronological shifts and regional fluctuations in the nature of reported lay visions and the intensity of their occurrence. Subsequently, (3) the findings will be interpreted by correlating them with specific cult-related developments, as well as with developments in the official Church norms and regulation of lay visions. The analysis will be informed by concepts from various fields such as historicalanthropology, religious philosophy and historical psychology. The project will lead to a differentiated view of the nature and role of lay visions in late medieval and early modern devotion and pilgrimage culture and will significantly contribute to our understanding of the dynamics of lay piety and popular religion."