Social Psychology and the situation in Catalonia

catalonia-calls-independence-referendumA pro-independence rally in Catalonia, Spain; it’s easy to spot the in-group in their red and yellow T-shirts with the striped flag of Catalonia. For these individuals, their Catalan identity is an important part of their self-concept. Coming together in this way may increase feelings of belonging and self-esteem. Once people have categorised themselves as pro-independence, the process of social identification may lead them to adopt behaviours including attending rallies such as this one. Finally, social comparison may lead to animosity between people who are pro and anti-independence. You may be able to find news stories about families divided by this situation. On 1 October 2017, Catalonia voted in an illegal referendum on independence and the Spanish government came down hard. Scenes of police brutality swept across the internet. Why not try to explain this real life situation using theories of prejudice and obedience. There is plenty here to think about and it fits perfectly with many of the concepts considered in social psychology. If you are studying Spanish as well as Psychology why not try to write a report in Spanish about this situation combining your enthusiasm for both subjects!


 

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