2026/06/25 by Valerio Placidi, Matteo P. Lisi, Alisha Vabba +2 · 1 voice
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Action Observation and Synchronization #Leadership, Courage, and Heroism Studies #Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
paper · doi:10.1080/10447318.2026.2690102
openalex created_date 2025/12/05 · openalex publication_date 2026/06/25 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/16
Although Mafia-type criminal organizations (MCOs) exert severe societal harm, evidence-based interventions fostering anti-mafia motives remain scarce. We investigated whether embodying virtual heroic characters enhances opposition to MCOs. Italian participants embodied one of three avatars: an anti-mafia hero (N = 24), a firefighter (i.e., mafia-unrelated hero; N = 22), or a common person (N = 25). Implicit and explicit anti-mafia attitudes and intentions, cognitive conflict regarding anti-mafia intentions, and subjective and physiological discomfort toward virtual agents labeled as innocents, criminals, or mafia members were assessed. Avatar type did not differentially influence anti-mafia attitudes or intentions. Moreover, unlike embodying a common person, embodying heroic avatars did not reduce cognitive conflict elicited by anti-mafia intentions. Notably, heroes’ embodiment elicited greater physiological discomfort when participants encountered mafia-related agents compared with innocents. We suggest that the duties and perceived dangers associated with heroic roles may heighten discomfort, thereby limiting the enhancement of anti-mafia motives.