What explains why some people trust institutions while others spread conspiracy theories?
This research activity focuses on examining the psychological and social mechanisms that shape people’s trust or distrust toward institutions and authorities. We are interested in the roles played by personality traits, life attitudes, and individuals’ socioeconomic conditions. We also look at specific behaviours that stem from these attitudes – such as the spread of misinformation or engagement in protest movements. Two main methodological approaches will be used: detailed analysis of existing datasets (e.g., from the EnTrust study or projects on democratic legitimacy) and the team’s own survey research. Our aim is to understand how and why trust develops so differently among various groups in contemporary society, and what consequences this has for social cohesion.

How can relationships between parents and grandparents help ease social tensions?
This research activity explores how intergenerational contact shapes attitudes and emotions across generations and how it contributes to reducing both ideological and affective polarisation. It focuses on direct interaction between generations as a means of fostering mutual understanding, empathy, and trust. The project uses both quantitative and qualitative methods – from analyses of existing datasets to the implementation of its own longitudinal study. The aim is to identify the specific mechanisms that make intergenerational contact an effective tool for reducing tensions between groups with different experiences and worldviews. The findings will offer valuable recommendations for policies aimed at strengthening intergenerational solidarity in Czech society.

How are ideas of success, security, and the good life changing in an individualised society?
This research activity focuses on how people construct their own life stories in the context of transformations linked to the economy, migration, and culture. We examine how individualisation shapes the development of identity, personal decision-making, and relationships with others. To conduct the research, we use a variety of methods – from interviews with users of investment apps and observation at investor conferences to analyses of autobiographical bestsellers and children’s popular culture. We also consider the perspectives of people with a migration background. These qualitative approaches are complemented by a quantitative survey mapping broader societal trends. The project connects cultural-sociological theory with innovative analytical tools and offers new ways of understanding the deeper transformations of contemporary society.