The Social Psychology research group studies social perception and regulation of intergroup relations, i.e., how people’s perceptions of society and their place in it impact personal decisions and social dynamics, both in real and virtual spaces.

In the context of intergroup relations, we explore how social identities are formed and how complex identities, such as those of children from mixed marriages, impact communication between groups with a history of hostility. Our research also examines prejudice toward minority groups, including human-animal relations, biases in collective historical narratives, as well as political behavior, the adoption of extremist beliefs, political polarization, and radicalization.

Our research on irrational beliefs examines conspiracy theories, pseudoscientific beliefs, and supernatural beliefs, exploring their interrelations – specifically, whether they form a syndrome – and its unique characteristics (e.g., whether such a syndrome tolerates internally contradictory beliefs). Although these beliefs may seem harmless at first glance, they can significantly impact health-related decisions (e.g., disregarding medical recommendations, turning to unverified practices, hesitating about vaccination), intergroup relations (reinforcing stereotypes and prejudices), and social engagement (volunteering, voting, petitions, protests).

Our goal is to understand the psychological mechanisms behind the adoption of these beliefs, and their individual and societal consequences, and to test strategies for reducing their negative impact.

In our research, we employ a multi-method approach, ranging from laboratory experiments to studies on representative samples and cross-cultural surveys. We also conduct secondary data analysis (content analysis, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses) and combine quantitative and qualitative methods. We foster multidisciplinary collaboration, both within psychology (e.g., across social, health, clinical, and personality psychology) and across disciplines (e.g., psychology, education, history, and archaeology).

Keywords: social perception, intergroup relations, social identities, prejudice, irrational beliefs, conspiracy theories, health behavior, political behavior

Research Line Lead: Iris Žeželj