• Framing Physical Activity

    Framing Physical Activity

    How to make communication aimed at promoting physical activity more effective.
  • Artificial Intelligence & Framing Effects

    Artificial Intelligence & Framing Effects

    The achievements of social psychology with those of artificial intelligence.
  • Framing Food Communication

    Framing Food Communication

    How to make food communication more effective, to promote purchasing and consumption choices in harmony with the health and well-being of people, as well as with the environment.
  • Framing Environment

    Framing Environment

    The effects of communication aimed at promoting public policies of mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
  • Counterfactuals and Political/Legal Communication

    Counterfactuals and Political/Legal Communication

    How people develop different alternative representations and explanations of events with political or legal significance, as well as the effects of attacks and defenses on people's reputations.
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The effects of disgust messages on plant-based food choice: Exploring underlying processes and boundary conditions

 Carfora, V., Festa, S., Pompili, S., Azzena, I., Scaglioni, G., Lenzi, M., ... & Guidetti, M. (2025). Journal of Applied Social Psychology. Link

On the emergent capabilities of ChatGPT 4 to estimate personality traits

 Piastra, M. & Catellani, P. (2025). Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 8, 1484260.

Psychosocial predictors of downloading a mobile app promoting healthy and sustainable eating

 Azzena, I., Festa, S, Pompili, S., Lenzi, M., Carraro, L., Guidetti, M., Cavazza, N., Carfora, V., & Catellani, P. (2025). Cogent Psychology, 12, 2464273.

Bridging the ideological divide: Communicating the positive economic impact of climate policy convinces the right

 Bertolotti, M. & Catellani, P. (2025). Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 35, 70058.

Did sexist voters bring Italy its first female Prime Minister?

 Bertolotti, M., Picciafoco, L., & Catellani, P. (2024). Italian Journal of Electoral Studies, 87, 45-57.

Proenvironmental self identity as a moderator of psychosocial predictors in the purchase of sustainable clothing

Carfora, V., Buscicchio, G., & Catellani, P. (2024). Proenvironmental self identity as a moderator of psychosocial predictors in the purchase of sustainable clothing. Scientific Reports, 14, 23968.

Populism and the effects of political attacks on male and female candidates.

Bertolotti, M., Catellani, P., & Picciafoco, L. (2024). Comunicazione Politica, 25, 195-218.

social-psychology

The paper:

Catellani, P. & Bertolotti, M.. The effects of counterfactual attacks on social judgments

has been just accepted for publication in Social Psychology.

Abstract:

Two experiments were conducted to compare the effects of different styles of verbal criticism (factual versus counterfactual) on the perceptions of target, source, and quality of the attack. Counterfactual attacks resulted in more negative overall judgment of the target and ratings of the target’s morality than either factual attacks or no attack. Counterfactual attacks were also rated more positively than factual attacks, and the source of the counterfactual attack was rated as being less biased against the target. Regression analyses confirmed that the observed effect on overall judgment was mediated by the perceived bias of the source. The greater effectiveness of counterfactual attacks was moderated by awareness of prior hostility of the source of the attack towards the target.

 


 

Patrizia Catellani

Professore ordinario
di Psicologia Sociale
Dipartimento di Psicologia
Università Cattolica di Milano
Largo Gemelli, 1
I-20123 Milano
Tel: 02-72342906
Cell.: 3356741468
Fax: 02-72342280
E-mail: patrizia.catellani@unicatt.it