According to Durkheim’s theory, feedback and emotional convergence among the participants of a collective meeting are important for collective processes to occur and persist over time. Well, this theory has been tested by the UPV/EHU Social Psychology Culture, Cognition and Emotion Research Group among several runners participating in the 2019 CORICA.
According to Émile Durkheim (1858–1917), a leading sociologist on the subject, and as can be seen today, social isolation can become a serious threat to health and survival, and collective rituals serve as a guarantee of the cohesion and health of society. are necessary for , Durkheim argued that regularly held group rituals reinforce group values and beliefs and promote social cohesion. Thus, individuals participating in such rites return to their individual lives with renewed faith in society and energy. This sense of renewal is fueled by collective enthusiasm, i.e. emotional dialogue that takes place in emotional contact between people. However, so far, Durkheim’s theory has been proven in very little research.
“Man is a social animal, and participation in collective rituals has many positive psychological effects, both as a group and as an individual.” This is reported by John Zabala, a member of the CCE Social Psychology Research Group. “According to research, participation in collective rituals promotes social integration, positively affects social beliefs, and improves both individually (for example, in self-esteem and levels of satisfaction with life) and collectively empowers both, among others. It is not surprising, then, that isolation measures adopted to combat the COVID-19 pandemic have been linked to higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Researchers from the Department of Basic Psychological Processes and Their Development conclude that Durkheim’s theory is fulfilled in Corica. The research was conducted on a sample of 2019 CORICA participants in three phases, before, during and after CORICA. For data collection, participants filled out three online questionnaires, one for each stage.
Collective enthusiasm
According to the researchers, “Participants’ well-being indicators showed higher levels after their participation in CORICA than before participating in it. and in some of these indicators – for example, in terms of social integration – the said level is maintained up to six weeks after corica”. Through statistical tests, the researchers also confirmed that this “collective bubbling” to which Durkheim refers that explains these positive effects. Zabala explains, “Participants felt more integrated into the group, into their city and community, more collectively empowered and, in addition, they had people and a more positive view of society.” On the other hand, the researchers believe that, in view of the results of other studies, it should be expected that the propensity of participants to take action in favor of the Basque language will continue to increase. However , this has not been proved.
There are not many investigations that have confirmed Durkheim’s theory in this way, and therefore, this is an innovative work, because—among other issues—the researchers analyzed the data in three phases, allowing them to look at periods of time. permission has been granted. Positive psychological effects of participation in collective rituals.
This highlights the importance of collective rituals for mental health, the rites of the korica dimension, and small acts, such as dinners with friends or family gatherings, as they promote social integration. Through them, “we strengthen our belief in our reference groups and our social values, we feel appreciated and part of a group, which motivates us to take better care of ourselves and others. It Everything gives meaning to our lives, because it helps us to orient ourselves in the world.” Therefore, Zabala believes that it is no coincidence that psychological problems have increased during the pandemic: “Collective participation is one of the factors that should be considered in health prevention programs.”
Additional Information
This research is part of John Zabala’s doctoral thesis. She is preparing her thesis at the Department of Basic Psychological Processes and Their Development under the direction of Professor Atziber Pascual Jimeno and Co-Director and Professor Susana Conejo López.
