Open Minds: Recognition Of Socio-Cognitive Constructs That Enable Or Constrain Human Behavior

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This text examines the Recognition of Socio-cognitive constructs that enable or constrain human behavior following the Cyprus paradigm.

1. Introduction

The EU and its Member States are recognizing the need to develop effective prevention policies and intervention scenarios supporting social inclusion and cohesive societies in a context of increasingly polarized societies, with extremist ideologies spreading and posing high threats to social cohesion in Europe. Focusing on the psychological and social factors that alienate, radicalize, and deradicalize young people in metropolitan environments across Europe is particularly pertinent.

Additionally, two separate tendencies have evolved over the past few years as polarization and radicalization events have almost universally affected European states: The Hague Institute of Social Justice (2016) found that 1) young people from low socioeconomic status seem to be the main targets of polarization and radicalization and that 2) terrorist attacks are more frequently carried out in other urban and peri-urban areas than in the capital city’s central urban areas. These two patterns appear to indicate that radicalization has grown more regional and endogenous (The Hague Institute of Social Justice 2016).

Through close collaboration with stakeholders and civil society, OPEN MINDS works to identify social-economic issues, design and pilot solutions, and then refine and validate these ideas. As a result, the project aims at exploring:

2. WHAT ASPECTS CAN BE CONSIDERED AS SOCIO-COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTS THAT ENABLE OR CONSTRAIN HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Many socio-cognitive factors, such as beliefs, attitudes, values, norms, social identity, self-concept, emotions, and motivations, have an impact on human behavior. Depending on the circumstances and context in which they are used, these constructs can either support or prevent human activity.

The mental images that people have about the world, themselves, and other people are referred to as beliefs. They can affect behavior by modifying expectations and perceptions and can be either positive or negative. For instance, someone is more likely to engage in physical activity if they believe that exercise is good for their health. A person’s overall assessment of a thing, someone, or a concept is referred to as their attitude. They can affect behavior by modifying intentions and deeds and can be either beneficial or harmful. For instance, someone is more likely to recycle if they have a favorable attitude toward doing so.

Values are a person’s guiding principles or expectations for himself. By acting as a moral compass and establishing priorities, they can affect conduct. For instance, someone is more likely to take steps to lessen their carbon footprint if they respect environmental sustainability. Norms are the unspoken guidelines and standards of conduct that apply to a certain group or society. They can shape social pressure and expectations, which in turn can affect behavior. One is more likely to recycle, for instance, if they are part of a group where it is common practice.

A person’s sense of belonging to a specific social group, such as their nationality, ethnicity, or gender, is referred to as social identity. It can affect behavior by defining social roles, norms, and expectations. For instance, a person’s social identity as a member of an environmental organization may affect how they behave in terms of sustainability and conservation. A person’s self-perception, which includes their beliefs, values, and abilities, is referred to as their “self-concept.” It can affect behavior by modifying motivation and self-esteem. For instance, a person with a good self-concept can have more faith in their capacity to accomplish their objectives.

Emotions are the emotional states that a person experiences, such as happiness, rage, fear, and sadness. Through influencing decision-making and motivation, they can affect behavior. For instance, a person who fears flying might steer clear of flying.

A person’s interests and ambitions are referred to as their motivations, which can either be intrinsic (i.e., motivated by personal interest) or extrinsic (i.e., driven by external rewards or punishments). Through influencing choices and actions, they can affect behavior. For instance, a person who exercises for their own sake may be more inclined to stick to a regular fitness schedule.

In conclusion, understanding and predicting human behavior in a variety of circumstances, including personal, social, and organizational settings, requires a grasp of these socio-cognitive notions. It is possible to create interventions and policies that encourage positive outcomes and enhance both individual and social well-being by comprehending how these notions either enable or constrain conduct.

3. PARADIGM: THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

As examples of socio-cognitive constructs that enable or constrain human behavior, the following four areas are to be explored further, as projected and perceived in the Republic of Cyprus. Namely, these are: Gender, Religion, Politics and Sports.

A) Gender:

Because of its complex civilization and lengthy history, Cyprus has a wide range of socio-cognitive conceptions that can either support or obstruct human conduct. Some of these conceptions are based on gender, while others are based on socioeconomic class, religion, or ethnicity. A key socio-cognitive dimension that has a substantial influence on behavior in Cyprus is gender. In Cyprus, there are a variety of issues that women must deal with because to gender inequality, such as unequal income, few job prospects, and a lack of representation in politics and decision-making. Despite efforts to resolve them, many women in the nation still face significant challenges because of these problems.

Like many other societies throughout the world, gender roles and expectations are engrained in Cyprus’s sociocultural standards. In Cyprus, some instances of socio-cognitive gender conceptions are as follows:

Traditional Gender Roles:
Patriarchal family structures and gender roles have a long history in Cyprus. Women are expected to take care of the home and the children, while males are expected to provide for the family’s needs financially and protect it.

Stereotyping and Prejudice:
Just like in many other civilizations, gender stereotypes and discrimination are pervasive in Cyprus. Men are frequently perceived as logical, but women are frequently considered as emotional. These prejudices against women in the workplace and other spheres of life can result from these stereotypes.

Gender-Based Violence:
Much like it is in many other parts of the world, gender-based violence is a severe problem in Cyprus. Women are frequently the victims of sexual assault, harassment, and domestic abuse. These types of violence frequently stem from patriarchal attitudes and convictions on gender roles and power structures.

Gender and Education:
Although women have made great strides in Cyprus’s educational system and are disproportionately represented in its universities, there are still gender gaps in several professions, particularly those involving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Because of biases and gender stereotypes, women are frequently dissuaded from entering certain occupations.

Gender and Politics:
Women are underrepresented in politics, as they are in many other nations, including Cyprus. Despite efforts to enhance women’s involvement in politics, women hold a very small number of seats in parliament and other positions of authority.

These are only a few illustrations of the socio-cognitive gender constructions present in Cyprus. While some areas have shown improvement, considerable effort needs to be done to address gender disparities and advance gender equity in Cyprus society. In Cyprus, there have recently been initiatives to question traditional gender norms and advance gender equality. These initiatives have included advocacy campaigns, policy changes, and education drives.

B) Religion:

Other socio-cognitive variables that can facilitate or obstruct conduct in Cyprus, besides gender, include religion and ethnicity. Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots live largely distinct lives because Cyprus is separated along ethnic lines. There are also notable disparities in terms of religion, with the majority of Turkish Cypriots being Sunni Muslims and the majority of Greek Cypriots being Orthodox Christians. As well as affecting possibilities for economic and educational growth, these inequalities can also have an impact on social and political interactions.

The social and cognitive facets of religious belief systems are referred to as socio-cognitive components of religion. In Cyprus, there are several religiously linked study cases of socio-cognitive conceptions that either support or restrict human conduct. These are a few instances:

Collective Religious Identity:
The Greek Orthodox Church is very important to Cyprus culture, and many facets of daily life are based on its doctrines and traditions. The Orthodox Church plays a significant role in the collective religious identity of the Cypriot people, which influences many facets of Cypriot culture and tradition.

Religious Identity:
The degree to which a person identifies with their religion is referred to as their religious identity. In Cyprus, religion significantly influences how people define themselves, especially in the Orthodox Christian community. According to a study by Demetriou, Tricha, and Zavrides (2018), among Cypriot Orthodox Christians, religious identification is favorably correlated with prosocial behavior and unfavorably correlated with deviant behavior.

Religious Beliefs:
The set of convictions and attitudes that people have towards their religion are referred to as their religious beliefs. The predominant religion in Cyprus is Orthodox Christianity, and people’s worldviews are greatly influenced by their religious beliefs. According to a study by Stavrinides and Georgiou (2018), among Cypriot Orthodox Christians, religious beliefs are favorably associated with social responsibility and adversely associated with prejudice.

Religious rituals and ceremonies that people participate in to reflect their religious beliefs are referred to as religious practices. In Cyprus, Orthodox Christians frequently engage in religious rituals such church attendance, fasting, and prayer. According to a study by Tricha, Zavrides, and Demetriou (2018), religious practices among Cypriot Orthodox Christians are favorably correlated with prosocial behavior and unfavorably correlated with deviant behavior.

Religious Ssocialization:
The process by which people pick up religious beliefs, values, and behaviors is known as religious socialization. In Cyprus, family and community involvement in the Orthodox Christian faith plays a major role in religious socialization. Georgiou, Stavrinides, and Theodorou (2019) discovered that among Cypriot Orthodox Christian teenagers, religious socialization is positively linked with prosocial behavior and adversely associated with prejudice.

Overall, this research indicates that socio-cognitive factors associated to religion, such as religious identity, beliefs, practices, and socialization, are extremely important in determining how people behave in Cyprus, especially in the Orthodox Christian community. These ideas can encourage social responsibility, lessen prejudice, and enable or restrain both prosocial and abnormal behavior.

C) Politics:

The concept of socio-cognitive politics describes the interactions between people’s political and social circumstances and their ideas, attitudes, and values. Examples of socio-cognitive political constructs in Cyprus include the following:

National Identity:
Because Cyprus has been divided since 1974, national identity is a crucial socio-cognitive politics concept on the island nation. Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots both have distinct national identities. The political and social tensions between the two communities have been exacerbated by this.

Another significant socio-cognitive political dimension in Cyprus is trust in the government. Trust in governmental institutions has decreased because of the political corruption and instability that the nation has previously faced. The widespread sense of disenchantment among Cypriots, especially young people, has been exacerbated by this.

Ethnic Stereotypes:
In Cyprus, ethnic stereotypes are a common socio-cognitive political construct. Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots frequently have preconceived notions about one another that are untrue or antagonistic, for example. These perceptions can exacerbate tensions between the two populations and thwart initiatives to foster collaboration and trust.

Gender Roles:
Another socio-cognitive political concept that influences politics in Cyprus is gender roles. With only 18% of the country’s parliament being female, women are underrepresented in positions of political leadership. This reflects larger gender disparities in Cyprus society, a problem that is being worked on.

Overall, socio-cognitive political constructions play a significant role in Cypru’s politics by influencing how people think and act in connection to their social and political environment.

D) Football Fan Clubs:

Football fun clubs are social gatherings where playing and watching football is enjoyed. These clubs are a common social gathering place in Cyprus and are frequently linked to intense feelings and ardent fandom. Fan club members often get together to cheer on their team, express their enthusiasm, and interact with other people who share their passion.

Socio-cognitive variables may affect how supporters act and interact with one another in the context of football fun clubs in Cyprus. For instance, fans may develop strong social identities centered on their preferred clubs, which can result in clashes with supporters of other clubs as well as a sense of togetherness and shared purpose.

In the context of football fan clubs in Cyprus, a variety of variables, such as the level of competition, the team’s performance, and certain personalities and behaviors inside the club, may have an impact on the dynamics among members. Some fan clubs might be very structured, with a clear hierarchy and defined leadership responsibilities, while others might be more loosely organized and unstructured.

Furthermore, cultural conventions and beliefs may affect how supporters interpret and respond to violent or other unfunny behavior committed by football clubs. For instance, fans may be more prone to engage in violent behavior themselves or tolerate it from others if violence is perceived as a typical element of football culture.

Fan club members may occasionally get into disagreements, especially if they hold different beliefs about the team or sport. Yet, many fan clubs make a concerted effort to promote unity and fraternity among their members and attempt to keep a cheery and encouraging environment.

Ultimately, depending on the club, its members, and the larger cultural and social context in which it exists, the dynamics among football fan clubs’ members in Cyprus may vary.

In Cyprus, there is a complicated and nuanced interaction between football recreational clubs, socio-cognitive frameworks, and human behavior. It would take more investigation to properly comprehend the dynamics at work.

4. CONCLUSION

A significant variable that might encourage or restrict conduct in Cyprus is socioeconomic position. The wealth disparity between the richest and poorest groups in society is substantial, and those with less money may have less access to opportunities and resources. Everything from career prospects to access to healthcare and education could be impacted by this.

In Cyprus, there are many different socio-cognitive frameworks that can either permit or constrain action. Although gender, race, religion, and socioeconomic class are all significant variables, they are also interrelated and have a variety of interactions. It takes a complex strategy that considers all the relevant aspects to resolve these challenges.