Agnieszka Golec de Zavala

My research interests and expertise lie in the areas of social and political psychology. I am particularly interested in predictors of political radicalisation, violence and prejudice. I have developed research on the concept of collective narcissism - a belief in group's greatness contingent on recognition by others. I am researching collective collective and individual narcissism and their social consequences.
I am also interested in psychological consequences of yoga and mindfulness practice.
I am also interested in how prejudice is embodied. For example – why do we use a metaphor of cleansing when we mean exterminating others (e.g. ´ethnic cleansing´). I also research the role of olfaction (smell) in intergroup relations.
In the past, I have examined how intergroup attitudes are shaped by the interaction of ideological orientations – such as political conservatism, nationalism or religious fundamentalism – and epistemic motivations (need for cognitive closure, death anxiety, uncertainty avoidance).