Identity and Symbolic Universes in Voting Behavior. A study of the Italian society

Authors

  • Silvia Andreassi Department of Dynamic, Clinic and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Fulvio Signore Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
  • Barbara Cordella Department of Dynamic, Clinic and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Serena De Dominicis Center of Psychology Studies, Lecce, Italy
  • Alessandro Gennaro Department of Dynamic, Clinic and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Salvatore Iuso Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
  • Skaiste Kerusauskaite Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Ankica Kosic Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Terri Mannarini Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
  • Matteo Reho Department of Dynamic, Clinic and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Giulia Rocchi Department of Dynamic, Clinic and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Alessia Rochira Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
  • Mario Scharfbillig Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium
  • Sergio Salvatore Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13133/2724-2943/17900

Abstract

This study analyses the role played by identity motives and cultural worldviews in voting behavior. For this purpose, a representative national sample of Italian (N=3020) respondents completed a questionnaire battery, measuring political values, identity values, attitude towards immigrants and perceived identity threat, as well as cultural worldviews (symbolic universes). These variables were used in a model with the vote intention of respondents as an outcome variable, political values, identity motives and socio-demographics as direct predictors and symbolic universes as indirect predictors. Consistently with hypotheses, analyses revealed that the impact of identity motives is higher than that produced by socio-economic motives or political values. Symbolic universes indirectly influence identity motives and, therefore, voting behavior. Moreover, a multigroup analysis revealed that the influence of symbolic universes on voting behavior is higher in individuals exposed to higher uncertainty. Results are interpreted in the framework of Semiotic Cultural Psychology Theory, giving importance to high contextual uncertainty, characterising contemporary societies.

Additional Files

Published

2023-08-03

How to Cite

Andreassi, S., Signore, F., Cordella, B., De Dominicis, S., Gennaro, A., Iuso, S., Kerusauskaite, S., Kosic, A., Mannarini, T., Reho, M., Rocchi, G., Rochira, A., Scharfbillig, M., & Salvatore, S. (2023). Identity and Symbolic Universes in Voting Behavior. A study of the Italian society. Psychology Hub, 40(2), 69–80. https://doi.org/10.13133/2724-2943/17900

Issue

Vol. 40 No. 2 (2023)

Section

Original Article

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