Przejdź do menu Nawiguj po głównych sekcjach Przejdź do treści

Select category

 
  • Academics
  • Research projects
  • Academic Staff
  • Events
  • Contacts
  • Quick links

Academics

Formularz wyszukiwania na belce: Studia

location:
level of study:
discipline:
study mode:
class format:

If you haven’t found what you are looking for, enter the desired phrase in the field below and we will help you find it

Research projects

Formularz wyszukiwania na belce: Badania i projekty

location:
research center:
discipline:

If you haven’t found what you are looking for, enter the desired phrase in the field below and we will help you find it

Academic Staff

Formularz wyszukiwania na belce: Nasi naukowcy

location:
discipline:

If you haven’t found what you are looking for, enter the desired phrase in the field below and we will help you find it

Events

Formularz wyszukiwania na belce: Wydarzenia

type:
location:

Contact

location:
category:

If you haven’t found what you are looking for, enter the desired phrase in the field below and we will help you find it

Quick links

Speedy menu

  • Virtual University (VU)
  • Email
  • Application form
  • Library catalogue
  • Access to research databases (EBSCO, Legalis, LEX, etc.)
  • Inauguration
SWPS University - Main page

  • We, the University
    • We,
      the University

      Talking about:

      Our psychology program is ranked second in Poland in THE Rankings by Subject 2025

      Hand holding a lightbulb with a symbol of brain inside

      • Who we are
      • About SWPS University
      • Founder
      • Leadership
      • Strategy
      • Academic staff
      • Organizational structure
      • Honorary degrees
      • History
      • We are ERUA
      • How we work
      • COVID 19
      • Standards of education
      • Science and research
      • Social engagement
      • Campuses and infrastructure
      • News and events
      • News
      • Conferences and seminars
      • Events and workshops
      • Admission webinars
      • Awards and recognition
      • International rankings
      • Join us
      • Job offers
      • Academic division
      • Administrative division
      • Alumni benefits
      • HR Excellence in Research
    • News category We, the University

      “Lares and Penates”: exhibition at the Venice Biennale of Architecture

      News

      “Lares and Penates”: exhibition at the Venice Biennale of Architecture

      Call for Papers: Parenthood Regret – Psychological, Social and Cultural Contexts

      Conferences

      Call for Papers: Parenthood Regret – Psychological, Social and Cultural Contexts

      Call for Papers: World-Attuned Therapy. Briskness, Connection, Presence

      Conferences

      Call for Papers: World-Attuned Therapy. Briskness, Connection, Presence

      Mediation and Mediation Activities in Communication in Foreign Languages

      Conferences

      Mediation and Mediation Activities in Communication in Foreign Languages

      Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

      Conferences

      Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

      Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

      Conferences

      Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

      Graduation Show 11 – opening and exhibition

      Lectures and meetings

      Graduation Show 11 – opening and exhibition

      Act of waiting carved in wood: Polish exhibition at London Design Biennale 2025

      News

      Act of waiting carved in wood: Polish exhibition at London Design Biennale 2025

      Costumes of Authority: Nubian royal outfits showcased in Warsaw

      Lectures and meetings

      Costumes of Authority: Nubian royal outfits showcased in Warsaw

      SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

      Rankings

      SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

      SWPS researchers receive grants from National Science Center

      Awards & Recognition

      SWPS researchers receive grants from National Science Center

      European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

      Conferences

      European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

  • Academics
    • Academics

      Faculties of SWPS University

      New program:



      Business Psychology

      We recommend:

      Undergraduate design program in Warsaw

      • Review our programs
      • Bachelor’s Degrees
      • Master’s Degrees
      • Doctoral Studies
      • Preparatory Schools and Language Courses
      • Summer Schools
      • Erasmus Program for Incoming Students
      • Graduate Certificate Programs
      • Register for admissions webinar
      • Guide to Doctoral Studies
      • Apply
      • Admissions for international candidates
      • Admissions for Polish candidates
      • Admission requirements and documents
      • Application and tuition fees
      • Conditional admission
      • Language requirements
      • Recognition of foreign diplomas — Regulations
      • Recognition of foreign diplomas — Service
      • Transfer to SWPS University
      • Meet our Ambassadors
      • Study in Poland
      • FAQ
      • Study Comfortably
      • Accessible university
      • Accommodation
      • Cost of living
      • Legalization of stay
      • Medical insurance
      • Libraries
      • Student Organizations
      • Campuses and infrastructure
      • Poland: learn, explore, play
      • Internships and practicum
      • Exchange programs
      • Apply for scholarships
      • Study for free – scholarships for candidates
      • Scholarships and financial aid for students
      • Student loans
    • News category Academics

      Call for Papers: Parenthood Regret – Psychological, Social and Cultural Contexts

      Conferences

      Call for Papers: Parenthood Regret – Psychological, Social and Cultural Contexts

      ERC Mentoring Program

      Conferences

      ERC Mentoring Program

      Mediation and Mediation Activities in Communication in Foreign Languages

      Conferences

      Mediation and Mediation Activities in Communication in Foreign Languages

      Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

      Conferences

      Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

      Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

      Conferences

      Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

      Mental Health Literacy in a Cross-Cultural Perspective

      Conferences

      Mental Health Literacy in a Cross-Cultural Perspective

      Graduation Show 11 – opening and exhibition

      Lectures and meetings

      Graduation Show 11 – opening and exhibition

      Learn all about Poland's new university entry regulations

      Admissions webinars

      Learn all about Poland's new university entry regulations

      SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

      Rankings

      SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

      European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

      Conferences

      European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

      When Japan Meets Central Europe: Download a report from an international academic project

      Projects and Implementation

      When Japan Meets Central Europe: Download a report from an international academic project

      Language – Contact – Meaning – Identity

      Conferences

      Language – Contact – Meaning – Identity

  • Science and Research
    • Science and Research

      learn more about research projects

      W recommend:

      We have a passion for science!

      Poznaj naszych naukowców

      • Discover our potential
      • Research institutes
      • Research centers
      • Academic staff
      • Research commercialization
      • SWPS University Press
      • Research infrastructure
      • Libraries
      • T. Tomaszewski Foundation for the Development of Polish Psychology
      • Review our research output
      • Research projects database
      • Projects and implementations
      • Conferences and seminars
      • Top publications
      • Publications in English
      • Publications in Polish
      • Join us
      • Academic division
      • HR Excellence in Research
      • Job Offers
    • News category Science and Research

      Call for Papers: Parenthood Regret – Psychological, Social and Cultural Contexts

      Conferences

      Call for Papers: Parenthood Regret – Psychological, Social and Cultural Contexts

      Call for Papers: World-Attuned Therapy. Briskness, Connection, Presence

      Conferences

      Call for Papers: World-Attuned Therapy. Briskness, Connection, Presence

      Mediation and Mediation Activities in Communication in Foreign Languages

      Conferences

      Mediation and Mediation Activities in Communication in Foreign Languages

      Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

      Conferences

      Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

      Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

      Conferences

      Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

      SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

      Rankings

      SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

      SWPS researchers receive grants from National Science Center

      Awards & Recognition

      SWPS researchers receive grants from National Science Center

      European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

      Conferences

      European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

      When Japan Meets Central Europe: Download a report from an international academic project

      Projects and Implementation

      When Japan Meets Central Europe: Download a report from an international academic project

      Language – Contact – Meaning – Identity

      Conferences

      Language – Contact – Meaning – Identity

      International Augsburg Seminar

      Conferences

      International Augsburg Seminar

      15th Polish-Spanish Conference on the European Legal Tradition

      Conferences

      15th Polish-Spanish Conference on the European Legal Tradition

  • International Relations
    • International Relations

      • International Strategy
      • Internationalization of research
      • Internationalization of education offer
      • Internationalization of organizational culture
      • Intensification of international communication
      • Annual Sustainability Reports
      • Meet our partners
      • International networks
      • We are ERUA
      • Erasmus+ Program
      • Bilateral cooperation
      • Joint and Double Degree Programs
      • Work with us
      • Office for International Cooperation
      • International rankings
      • HR Excellence in Research
    • News category International Relations

      ERC Mentoring Program

      Conferences

      ERC Mentoring Program

      Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

      Conferences

      Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

      Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

      Conferences

      Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

      Mental Health Literacy in a Cross-Cultural Perspective

      Conferences

      Mental Health Literacy in a Cross-Cultural Perspective

      Learn all about Poland's new university entry regulations

      Admissions webinars

      Learn all about Poland's new university entry regulations

      SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

      Rankings

      SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

      European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

      Conferences

      European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

      When Japan Meets Central Europe: Download a report from an international academic project

      Projects and Implementation

      When Japan Meets Central Europe: Download a report from an international academic project

      Professor Agata Gąsiorowska appointed President of IAREP

      Awards & Recognition

      Professor Agata Gąsiorowska appointed President of IAREP

      Dr. Katarzyna Wojtkiewicz named SEAP's Representative for Cooperation with NISPAcee

      Awards & Recognition

      Dr. Katarzyna Wojtkiewicz named SEAP's Representative for Cooperation with NISPAcee

      ERUA Innovative Teaching Initiatives — Multilingual communication in the age of AI

      News

      ERUA Innovative Teaching Initiatives — Multilingual communication in the age of AI

      Professor Mario Gollwitzer: The (Social) Psychology of Revenge

      Lectures and meetings

      Professor Mario Gollwitzer: The (Social) Psychology of Revenge

  • Contact
    • Contact

      contact search
      • We, the University
      • Office of the Rector
      • Office of the Director General
      • Office of the Vice-Rector for Education
      • Office of the Vice-Rector for International Affairs
      • Office of the Vice-Rector for Research
      • Deans' Offices
      • Human Resources Department
      • Legal Department
      • Press Center and Public Relations Office
      • Communication and Customer Services Department
      • Academics
      • International Admissions Office
      • Admissions Office for Polish Candidates
      • Centers for Student Affairs
      • Erasmus for Incoming Students
      • Erasmus for Outgoing Students
      • Office of Career Services
      • Office of the English and Polish Preparatory Schools
      • Office of the Doctoral School
      • Office for Accessibility, Scholarships, and Student Activity
      • Student Accessibility Office
      • Science and Research
      • Office for Research
      • Center for Knowledge Transfer
      • Office of Institute Directors
      • Publications Coordinator
      • Libraries
      • International Relations
      • Office for International Cooperation
  • PL
    • PL

    • News category PL

Projects and Implementation

When there is no understanding, agora disappears

share article
22 May 2023
When there is no understanding, agora disappears
Photo: Nikodem Szymański

We talk with Professor Mikołaj Cześnik, Director of SWPS University’s Institute of Social Sciences about citizen’s trust towards political institutions, activation of young and mature voters, and challenges that Europe is facing in the 21st century.

Weronika Książek: A parliamentary election is scheduled for the upcoming fall in Poland. How is the Center for the Study of Democracy preparing for this event? For many years, the Center has been carrying out research as part of the General Election Study (PGSW), so this year will be especially busy in that respect. Please tell us more about this study. What do you research?

Professor Mikołaj Cześnik The study has been ongoing since 1997. Its genesis goes back even further, to the 1995 Polish presidential election. In fact, at the beginning the study was called “Polish General Election Survey”. For decades, Professor Radosław Markowski was the Principal Investigator in this study. In the current edition, the baton was passed to me.

In the PGSW project, we are mainly interested in the parliamentary elections to the lower chamber (pol. Sejm), while elections to the higher chamber, the Senate, are of a lesser interest to us. We try to answer the following questions: Why did people vote a certain way in a given election? Why did they choose this party over another one? Why did some people go voting first thing in the morning, while others did not go at all? We research attendance, character, source, and nature of voting preferences. We also answer questions about party identification, satisfaction with democracy and political agency, about views on certain social issues that constitute hot topics of a given electoral campaign (e.g. migration, taxes, social benefits, abortion, and the European Union).

Can we expect a game-changing election? Game-changing in terms of turnout and voters mobilization? Do you have any indications in that respect or is it rather an unknown?

Will it be a game-changer? We will find out soon. For sure, the election will be very significant. As citizens, we are facing a very serious decision. Either we give power to the Law and Justice (PiS) party for the subsequent third term (which would be a record, at least in the so-called Third Polish Republic (ed. in Poland of the post-Soviet era), or we will take that power away. Many configurations are possible.

If we see the renewal of mandate for PiS, it may provide an additional fuel for initiatives of this party, which have not met with the approval of everyone in Poland.

Another option is that we will see some kind of renewal of the pre-2015 order. There is no doubt, that in some respects, the Civic Platform (PO), the Polish People’s Party (PSL), the Left or the Szymon Hołownia party have different visions of the Republic of Poland than the Law and Justice party. Please note that we are talking here not only about social and economic issues, but also about the political system...

The political system? Why?

During a meeting with the party supporters in Janów Lubelski, the leader of the Law and Justice party, Jarosław Kaczyński, clearly stated that Law and Justice has been changing Poland, among other things by changing the political system (quote: “In 2015, we have begun changing the political system in Poland.”). This indicates that the leader of PiS is aware that the changes have gone much further than the mandate given to the party by citizens of Poland both in 2015 and 2019, allows. Considering only this one statement by the Chairman Kaczyński, the results of the fall election will indicate citizens’ decision whether they want this type of system to perpetuate. Nowadays, there is no indication that the Law and Justice party should enjoy a landslide victory and, as a result, gain a formal approval to change the system. I’d say we could count on 5, 6, maybe 7 million of votes. Of course, a lot is riding on the voters turnout and how many votes will others get, because the same 6 million may mean a landslide victory or a Pyrrhic victory, depending on the context.

And what scenario seems to be most likely?

No clear winner among the fractions. What does it mean? It means that both, PiS and the anti-PiS coalition may gain over 200 mandates each, and Confederation will have the swing vote with 20 or 30 mandates. Then many, not so obvious options become possible (let’s not forget that in 2005 we were convinced that it would be the Civic Platform and PiS, who would form the government; meanwhile, PiS formed a coalition government with the League of Polish Families (LPR) and the Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland (ed. a political party representing rural interests). We could imagine a minority government, various coalitions formed ad hoc... Of course, a government of this type would be unstable and could culminate in a snap election.

I must admit that I am asking about this potential “game-changer” in the context of a study carried out by Professor Ben Stanley from the Center for the Study of Democracy, who investigates how Poles assess changes that have been ongoing in Poland since 2015. How do Poles, representing different electorates, assess the state of democracy in the country?

People who have been voting for the Law and Justice party since 2011 are very happy. This group is organically conjoined with PiS. A large percentage of this electorate consists of people who previously were very poorly looked after, or not looked after at all by the Republic of Poland. Support for social benefit programs is correlated with support for PiS, because these programs mean appreciation of these people, combined with a narration about agency. Health care is still failing, and pensions, despite the “13th payment” (ed. an additional, 13th pension in a year introduced by PiS in 2019), are still low, however nobody tells pensioners to their faces that it would be better for the state budget if they died. Moreover, there is an additional psychological effect of creating a “you owe us” situation: gifting someone with something is a significant social act, which has been studied for years by anthropologists.

As far as the people who are not part of the PiS die-hard electorate but feel affinity with the party in axiological matters are concerned, then looking at the results post the 2015 and 2019 elections, they are characterized by a belief that “common people” are noble and good but the “bad” elites lead them astray or want to harm them. They also tend to oversimplify and are convinced that all matters, which politicians present as complicated, are in fact simple. In 2015, supporters of PiS were the most populist of all electorates. But interestingly, in 2019, they were least populist! Which means that their outlook on socio-political situation has changed and perhaps, they began to notice all those nuances they had not seen before.

Besides, we must remember that party electorates are diverse in matters such as media consumption. And after all, there are also electoral ghettos on the other sides of the political scene.

Is it another important change that could impact the results of the upcoming election?

Certainly. We negotiate reality through communication mechanisms resulting from interactions. Together we agree upon meanings – what is good, what is bad, disgraceful, prudent, wise, and what is stupid. When there is lack of interaction, we begin speaking in different tongues and there is no understanding between us; and when there is no understanding, then “agora”, understood not as a physical place, but as a designated space where we all can meet and exchange views and opinions, disappears. Nowadays, almost nothing is common for Poles.

For example, once we questioned whether the “Rywin scandal” was a scandal. These days, what is a scandal for some, is not a scandal for others. Currently, a social definition of “scandal” is much more fluid than 20 years ago, and for every political party it means something else. And this is also characteristic for all processes in our communication sphere: we have stopped talking to each other, we have stopped listening to each other, we avoid confrontation with views that are completely different than ours, and we reduce cognitive dissonance. We can afford it, because we can freely choose what we want to watch and what we want to listen to.

An average media consumer has no tools for the verification of information. Of course these tools exist, but they require time and skills (e.g., critical thinking, extended research). Technological advancement, which increasingly keeps us in information bubbles, is not conducive to such verification. Different narrations, generated by different media outlets, reach polarized media consumers. Less and less definitions and meanings are agreed upon commonly. And this problem is not just specific to Poland. What has been happening in the United States, France and many other places in the world, indicates that this is a universal process. I don’t know how to stop it, however as a researchers of elections, I am obliged to observe it carefully.

The 2021 report “The State in the Social Consciousness of Poles”, published by Professor Radosław Markowski and Piotr Zagórski, Ph.D., indicates that Poles’ attitudes towards their country are not cohesive, but they are rather politically determined, especially by party affiliation. In other words, Poles are divided between the supporters of the current state and “the rest”. According to the report, supporters of the current government declare a greater satisfaction with the way the state operates (including the state’s invigilation potential) than non-supporters. In this group only one in five people declares dislike of the state, while close to 75 percent of those displeased with democracy in Poland indicates negative attitude towards the state. In the current specific political situation, are we still able to research attitudes towards the state in general, or are we predetermined to research the PiS state?

PiS has worked very hard to “merge” with the state. In their narration, the state was once “seized” by hostile comprador elites. And now, the state has risen from its knees and shares the money, which has been taken from the bad ones and transferred to the good ones. Of course on the one hand, one can flinch at that crude narration, on the other hand, there is much to indicate that that narration works.

A small methodological comment: data, which Zagórski and Markowski refer to, is a very wide dragnet but with pretty large holes, which lets through a lot of very significant but small pieces of information. I think that their results should be complemented by a solid qualitative study. I don’t know how to do it, because qualitative research is not my domain, but I think that these mechanisms discussed by our researchers can be captured more precisely.

In general, Poles do not have an overly positive opinion about their state. Trust in each other, trust in political parties, in the state, institutions and in parliament has always been a problem in our country and it can be explained by our history. We must remember that for over 200 years, the state, for us, took on a form of a foreign aggressor, and it was seldom ours. Whereas, data from the latest European Social Survey indicates that this trust has been additionally undermined by the pandemic and later by the war.

In 2015, the Polish General Election Study indicated that close to 21 percent of voters approved of a “strong hand” government. How does it look like today? To what degree are Polish citizens confirmed democrats and how much are they willing to acquiesce to “alternative” solutions?

A “strong hand” governance does not always mean oppression. A stern father, if he is fair, exudes safety. Of course, he can be brusque. He simply sets boundaries in such a way that life with him is convenient – you don’t have to think too much. And in some situations, strong leadership is simply a necessity, because when there is a fire, it is hard to imagine that we would sit together and democratically deliberate about what needs to be done.

We know from psychologists that different people possess different predispositions. Some people like stronger boundaries, while others prefer looser ones. It seems that the first group might like the “strong hand” rule.

Yes, it does happen that we agree to illiberal and undemocratic solutions as a price to pay for effectiveness and efficient governance. These days, this type of rule is more often accepted by those who were disenfranchised before.

Do you mean those that lost on the post-soviet transformation?

Yes. The people, who in that new reality stood at the start line and it turned out that instead of running shoes they were wearing flippers. So running was very uncomfortable for them, and as a result they got left behind. Those who had proper running shoes pushed forward. The state did nothing to help. It just stood on the sidelines like a referee who shrugs and explains that “this one is more talented than that one”. But the talent was not the only factor. The “faster runners” had different capital, inherited or gained during the soviet-rule era (PRL). That capital had different forms. Someone had an opportunity to learn English from his/her uncle, someone else, overnight became an owner of a shop, a cement factory or a formerly State-owned Agricultural Farm (PGR), which he or she was the head of before the transformation.

We know from research that the political assessment of the past eight years differs from the assessment of the events, which took place between 1989 and 2015, and it is closely related to social stratification. Those that voted for Law and Justice feel that their situation has significantly improved. And it has improved, because the new government not only gave them running shoes, but also said: “Listen, you may run one lap less”.

Let’s not kid ourselves – people who can’t make ends meet, won’t be concerned about the quality of air or melting icebergs at the North Pole. They couldn’t care less about the Attorney General, the Supreme Court or the Constitutional Tribunal, as long as they regularly receive cash from the government. This is the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

An afterthought may come with time...

In the long run, it will occur for sure – PiS has not been able to avoid the process of oligarchization and refrain from treating the state as the spoils of war, which is natural for political parties. I do not want to engage in over-psychologization (there are many specialists in this field at SWPS University, and I am not one of them), but Kaczyński (ed. leader of PiS), since the beginning, has not been hiding the fact that he needs new elites.

In 2021, Professor Ben Stanley published an article in “Cambridge University Press”, which discussed similarities between the processes of democratic backsliding in Poland and Hungary. It indicated ideological roots of both processes, where “populism and nativism” play a significant role. What else does Poland have in common with Hungary?

For sure, both Jarosław Kaczyński and Victor Orban have an excellent understanding such “election winning technology” that does not require convincing absolutely everyone about voting for their party. They know that sometimes you win elections by actually gaining less votes than your opponent (this is also the case of Donald Trump). But this is where the similarities end.

Firstly, Orban has been in power for a longer time. Secondly, he has a much larger social base – he has managed to go beyond the lower classes. Fidesz also enjoys strong support among the middle class. This, among other things, is the reason why Orban wins elections with 48-50 percent of votes, while quite regularly winning definite majority of mandates, sometimes constitutional ones, in the parliament.

Despite all that, Law and Justice is definitely a different party than Fidesz. Orban’s party is simply a more effective organization, better organized, with a huge sense of a group interest.

But they are similar in their negative attitude towards the EU.

Far from it. There are more differences than similarities here. PiS preaches anti-EU narration lacking the understanding that in fact, the European Union is a huge battle field of competing interests, while Orban understand this very well. Fidesh collaborated closely with Angela Merkel’s party and was a crucial element of the European People’s Party (EPP). Orban used to attend conventions of the Christian Social Union (CSU) in Bavaria. He travels a lot, speaks several foreign languages, is a man of the world (let’s not forget that the George Soros Foundation funded a scholarship for him to attend Oxford!), and he is well connected. On daily bases, he operates in a rather hermetic environment, however it is still a different environment from that in which the leader of PiS operates. I keep repeating that Kaczyński was socialized, also politically, in the 1960s. Moreover, he is probably not interested in anything else but Poland. He even spends his holidays only as far as the West Pomeranian region (north-west Poland). Of course, journalists who sympathize with him, can present it as a certain virtue, however, we should remember that contemporary Poland does not exist in a vacuum. Events that happen around the world impact us directly. Our leaders need to understand geopolitics well, visit other countries, and be inspired by solutions that these countries have introduced.

In a nutshell, even with his nonconforming attitude, Orban is a politician of a different breed. He is able to act much more effectively, faster (as much in good as in bad cause), and more frequently presents his partners (also European ones) with a fait accompli. Meanwhile, our government can be cowardly, back down of its ideas, when rebuked by the United States, Israel or the European Union. I can count in one breath a few, if not several different projects, on which PiS simply surrendered, such as TVN (American-owned private television station in Poland), the Just Act 447, and the administrative division of the Mazovia district.

Are we able to predict, who will most likely stay at home this year, and who will vote at the polling stations? And will this involve different groups than usual?

There are certain regularities that we have been observing in the Polish society. There is a sizable group of citizens who participate in elections only if something especially surprises or entices them. Some are drawn by something positive, others by negative (e.g., something that Paweł Kukiz [ed. a former rock musician turned politician] called “a royal fu***ing fury”, and Marta Lempart [ed. a leftist activist] invoked the same emotions).

Studies and analysis based on previously collected data, which are to tell us who and how to motivate, have been already ongoing. I am convinced that we will see a calming communication from Law and Justice, addressed to their most valued electorate, by which I mean Polish rural voters, but also other groups, which know how to protect their interests in exchange for votes (e.g. miners, railway employees, etc.).

So these groups usually vote?

Yes, indeed.

And who can we find in the group of the disillusioned? Are there any class differences there, too?

For sure. With its policy PiS has created a phenomenon. It empowered some parts of the society in such a way that people who earlier felt that their voting rights were fictional, now feel that they are citizens fully entitled to exercise all the rights owed to them. Apart from this phenomenon, for years we have been observing some simple and rather similar correlations: the higher people are situated in the social hierarchy, the more willing they are to vote, the lower they are situated, the less willingly they are to participate in the electoral process.

Is there a group that votes against? People who don’t have a favorite, they don’t vote for someone specific, but turn out to vote against PiS or against PO or against Confederation. What has your research been showing in this matter over the years?

For a long time, this has been a widespread emotion and a strong determinant of participation in the electoral process. Although our most recent data is from 2019, there is no indication that the trend is going to change. In our questionnaires we ask: “Do you feel real dislike or anger towards any of the political parties?” And if someone answers “yes” to this question, then...

Then they would probably vote against.

Yes, 99 percent sure that this is how they would vote. Sometimes we also ask: “Do you think that a party X should be delegalized?” – and of course here the percentage of “yeses” is smaller, however, we are usually able to point out a group that does not accept certain actors of the political scene and expresses a desire for some of the parties to disappear. We do not ask what their reasons are. Perhaps at some point we could do it.

How is it in other European countries? Do negative emotions motivate people to vote only in Poland? Or is it a global phenomenon?

This is not characteristic only for Poland. We live in such a moment in history when everyone is stressed, overtired, filled with fear and anger. Therefore dislike or anger motivate people to go voting.

What is the role of social movements in the process of democratization in Poland as compared with the rest of the continent? To what degree do grassroots initiatives influence parliamentary policies?

For example, our Youth Research Center examined the Women’s Strike and youth protests of 2020. Of course, it was a kind of a phenomenon, a movement ignited by a certain outrage, nevertheless it seems that currently it will have no impact on the election.

The rural party Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland party, whose narration our researchers have been researching (“From Samoobrona (Self-Defense) to Agrounia: rural social movements in Poland post 1989” – a project led by Professor Michał Wenzel) also grew from an outrage of a specific social group, and yet it did impact not only the results of an election, but it also shaped Poland’s political landscape.

Indeed, however Self-Defense was not founded during a pandemic (we can’t forget that people attending the recent protests broke the pandemic rules and restrictions). And the cause of the Women’s Strike was slightly different than that of the Self-Defense party...

I think that for now, there are no good ideas for harnessing the sentiments of such movements as the Women’s Strike, be it politically, electorally or by political parties. Nevertheless, these movements certainly change social climate as does the rapid decline in the observance of religious practices by Poles. I am convinced that these movements will resonate with us for a long time and they will constitute a significant civic experience for some young people.

How do young people vote nowadays? Differently than, for example, a decade ago? Could their votes become swing votes?

I wouldn’t overestimate that power. Nowadays, young people constitute a relatively small group. Generations that gain voting rights this year are rather small. For example, the 1983 generation was twice as big as the 2003 generation. Moreover, 20-somethings are not very eager to vote, they have their whole lives to do it (although, I must admit that the percentage of young people who vote nowadays is bigger than 20 years ago). Political actors know this very well.

But pensioners – they are a different story! Mobilization of pensioners will bring a better effect than mobilization of young people. There are many more pensioners than young adults, because over the past 20 years the average life span has increased and PiS has lowered the retirement age. Pensioners may provide additional reserves for the current government, if the administration firstly takes care of health care and secondly, the social benefits. For example, if the government ensures that pension are paid out on time, and perhaps it will add a 15th or even a 16th pension per year.

Apart from this bonus payment, pensioners, as opposed to young people, often ask themselves: “What is my assessment of the past eight years?”. There are many more conservative and religious people in that age group. Therefore, a battle for the 60+ electorate may be very difficult for the opposition. Retirement changes one’s life situation overnight and makes people much more reliant on the state, because it is the state who provides pensions. And the state might not pay out that benefit, might blackmail pensioners.... or it might give them a present, like PiS does. This type of present can be easily “sold” as “Jarek’s gift” (ed. Jarek is a diminutive of Jarosław, the first name of Law and Justice‘s leader). Of course, not everyone will buy this. The clue of the matter is to ensure that enough people buy it to get their votes.

Let’s talk about the voter turnout... In other European countries, such as Germany or Spain, voters turnout during parliamentary elections may reach close to 70 percent. Why is it usually much lower in Poland? What do you think about fines for voter absenteeism imposed by the state as a remedy? For example, this type of a solution has been in place since the 19th century in Belgium.

Several years ago, I wrote an article ("Is compulsory voting a remedy? Evidence from the 2001 Polish parliamentary elections"), which indicated that even if we introduced mandatory voting, punishable by fines, in Poland, the election results practically would not change and the division of votes among the remaining electorate would be exactly the same as in the general population. When we ask in our surveys: “What would you do if voter absenteeism was punishable by a fine”, 6-7 percent of responders answer that they would still stay at home and not vote.

The probability of such legislation being introduced is very small. Political parties are not necessarily interested in an additional 10-20 percent of voters to take care of, because it means increased costs of electoral campaigns. Besides, attending to those who have decided to join the electoral market for the first time requires slightly different tools.

Is it because they have already been disappointed with something and parties need to somehow address it?

Yes, parties must talk differently to this group, wow them on TikTok, or even better – present them with an offer. But to present them with an offer, one must have a diagnosis. And this cannot be done for free. So the party needs even more money. And this is how the cycle ends.

How does it look like in the European Union? In France or Germany? Voters turnout is usually significant there.

Considering the last presidential election in Poland, in 2015, when close to two thirds of those entitled to vote cast their ballots, the result was not that different from the turnout in Italy, France or Germany, where on the other hand, the turnout has been declining. It has been declining, because Europeans are disappointed with democracy. Perhaps for other reasons than we are, but over there we also witness a clash of populist movements on the one side, and supporters of liberal democracy on the other.

In the past, Poland was very different from the rest of Europe in this regards. In the 1990s and at the beginning of 2000s, voters turnout was at 50 percent, nowadays it oscillates around 55-60 percent. For the upcoming election I would estimate the turnout to be between 56 and 58 percent. Not a disaster. I am concerned with a different phenomenon, which has been inherited from the Communist era, when Solidarity encouraged Poles to boycott the election as the only right solution in the situation when “there is nobody to vote for”. Poles took this to heart, perhaps too much, and this option resonates nowadays. We often opt for a boycott, because it is easier than going out and voting, as it should be done in democracy. This is also related to general detestation of politics.

How does this detestation relate to trust towards politicians and institutions?

Around the world? Lately, this trust has been declining, of course. For example, in some Scandinavian countries it has been happening mainly due to the discontent with migration and disinformation. Russia and China certainly play an important role in the global process of diminishing trust towards politicians and political institutions.

In Poland, trust is not declining, but only because the trust level has been very low for a long time. Similar processes are currently ongoing in the United States. The American system has been generating huge inequalities for as many as 30-40 years. The middle class is getting poorer while the richest are getting richer. This also diminishes trust in the system which not so long ago provided opportunities for career paths from a shoe shiner to a millionaire. Nowadays, it is nearly impossible. Contemporary Capitalism is becoming increasingly hermetic.

Nowadays, the whole European community experiences the lack of trust towards political parties and institutions. The problems Europe is currently facing, such as climate change, immigration, and growing social inequality, spark discussions, disagreements and polarization.

How can we overcome this crisis. How long will it take?

Our ActEU project, which comprises 12 European universities, including SWPS University, investigates how this decline in trust impacts voting, especially the results that may prove to be dangerous to democracy, in other words the support for populists who would like to change a political system into a system governed by referenda or even a dictatorship.

In this project, SWPS University collaborates closely with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in Greece. Our first task will be to map the trust trends in Europe. We know that important aspects of this crisis include erosion and redefinition of interpersonal relations resulting from 50 years of capitalist economy. Inequalities have been growing very rapidly over the past several years. Moreover, we have not finished with colonialism, quite the contrary. For example, many countries in Africa and South-East Asia still pay extra so that the European commonwealth could enjoy cheap food. One could even venture an opinion that we are blocking the development of agriculture in those regions. If the EU abandoned common agricultural policy, we would be fed by Egypt, Morocco, Tunis, Libya or Algeria.

The main beneficiaries of EU’s current agricultural policy are the French. Therefore, they can afford to maintain small and expensive farms, which must be subsidized externally. Of course, their products are of excellent quality, however, we should remember that it does not happen just like that, but it is possible for the price of limiting free market and the price of duties that for example, block the flow of Moroccan or Egyptian products.

Actually, Poland was lucky because it has joined the global economy, while simply being its beneficiary.

To conclude our conversation, I would like to ask a question we pose to all researchers in the series. If you and the Institute of Social Sciences had unlimited funds, what research dreams would you like to realize? What would you like to achieve in your discipline?

I dream about a large comparative study that would examine changes in political systems over many years, in very different cultural and historical contexts. If I could gather a team of historians, anthropologists, psychologists, sociologists, economists, geographers, and probably a few more specialists, I would research what has happened to us over the last several decades, comparing this with the process in Taiwan, Mexico, Argentine, South Africa, and other African countries. For sure, in my comparative research, I would also include the East – recently, China has been undergoing a huge transformation. We would need to carry out a cross-sectional study, encompassing both time and space.

Thank you for your time.

Weronika Książek

Projects referenced in the interview:

Read more about the projects mentioned in the interview in the following publications::

  • Partisan bias or a climate of indifference? An investigation of actually-existing democratic values and their consequences in Poland, Researcher: Ben Stanley.
  • Democratic Audit of Poland, SWPS University's Center for the Study of Democracy.
  • ActEU:Towards a new era of representative democracy - Activating European citizens’ trust in times of crises and polarization, Researcher: Mikołaj Cześnik.
  • Polish National Election Study (PNES) 2023, Researcher: Mikołaj Cześnik.
  • Nature of autocratization processes: case study on Poland and Hungary Researcher: Ben Stanley.
  • From Samoobrona (Self-Defense) to Agrounia: rural social movements in Poland post-1989, Researcher: Michał Wenzel.
Mikołaj Cześnik
Mikołaj Cześnik
Ph.D. / Associate Professor
Mikołaj Cześnik is a sociologist and political scientist. His research interests include public opinion and citizen voting preferences. He specializes in the analysis of political systems, especially democracy, and frequently comments on political issues in the media. He is a member of Polskie Generalne Studium Wyborcze [Polish General Election Study], a pioneer Polish initiative, which aims to systematically and scientifically record and analyze the process and the results of parliamentary elections, in Poland.
Full bio  

More news

“Lares and Penates”: exhibition at the Venice Biennale of Architecture

“Lares and Penates”: exhibition at the Venice Biennale of Architecture

November 23 2025

Call for Papers: Parenthood Regret – Psychological, Social and Cultural Contexts

Call for Papers: Parenthood Regret – Psychological, Social and Cultural Contexts

Parenthood Regret Psychological, Social and Cultural Contexts About the Seminar Call for Papers The seminar is addressed...

October 20 2025

ERC Mentoring Program

ERC Mentoring Program

ERC Mentoring Program Preparatory workshops for young researchers seeking European Research Council (ERC) grants About...

October 20 2025

Call for Papers: World-Attuned Therapy. Briskness, Connection, Presence

Call for Papers: World-Attuned Therapy. Briskness, Connection, Presence

World-Attuned Therapy. Briskness, Connection, Presence Contextual Behavioral Science Conference About the Conference Submit Your...

September 19 2025

Mediation and Mediation Activities in Communication in Foreign Languages

Mediation and Mediation Activities in Communication in Foreign Languages

Mediation and Mediation Activities in Communication in Foreign Languages Conference of the Polish Association of Modern Languages About...

September 17 2025

Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025

Green Digital Accessibility International Conference 2025 Where Accessibility Meets Sustainability About the Conference Registration...

September 09 2025

Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses

Power and the Image: Its Uses and Abuses Culture – Image – Power About the Conference Call for Papers The conference is...

September 05 2025

Graduation Show 11 – opening and exhibition

Graduation Show 11 – opening and exhibition

July 13 2025

Act of waiting carved in wood: Polish exhibition at London Design Biennale 2025

Act of waiting carved in wood: Polish exhibition at London Design Biennale 2025

June 29 2025

Mental Health Literacy in a Cross-Cultural Perspective

Mental Health Literacy in a Cross-Cultural Perspective

Mental Health Literacy in a Cross-Cultural Perspective — ERUA Intensive Course About Apply The program is addressed...

September 02 2025

Learn all about Poland's new university entry regulations

Learn all about Poland's new university entry regulations

As of July 1, 2025, Poland introduces new regulations that will apply to non-Polish nationals wishing to apply to universities in our...

July 08 2025

Costumes of Authority: Nubian royal outfits showcased in Warsaw

Costumes of Authority: Nubian royal outfits showcased in Warsaw

June 26 2025

SWPS researchers receive grants from National Science Center

SWPS researchers receive grants from National Science Center

We are proud to announce that two of our experts have been awarded research grants from the National Science Center (NCN). Dr. Agnieszka...

June 17 2025

European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

European Migration Law in a Global Perspective

European Migration Law in a Global Perspective   About the Conference Sign Up The conference is addressed...

June 17 2025

School of Form lecturers honored with Gloria Artis Medals

School of Form lecturers honored with Gloria Artis Medals

June 11 2025

SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

SWPS University in THE Impact Rankings 2025

SWPS University has once again been recognized in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, which evaluate how universities worldwide...

June 18 2025

When Japan Meets Central Europe: Download a report from an international academic project

When Japan Meets Central Europe: Download a report from an international academic project

How do young people from Central Europe perceive the relationship between our region and Japan? Discover the insights in a report created by...

June 03 2025

Language – Contact – Meaning – Identity

Language – Contact – Meaning – Identity

Language – Contact – Meaning – Identity Student Conference About the Conference Sign up The conference is addressed...

May 29 2025

International Augsburg Seminar

International Augsburg Seminar

The International Augsburg Seminar is an annual academic event. The theme of this year’s seminar is “Law and Lawyers and Politics:...

May 29 2025

ERUA Innovative Teaching Initiatives — Multilingual communication in the age of AI

ERUA Innovative Teaching Initiatives — Multilingual communication in the age of AI

In April 2025, a group of English Studies students, together with their lecturer Matthew Riemland, Ph.D. / Assistant Professor from SWPS...

May 12 2025

15th Polish-Spanish Conference on the European Legal Tradition

15th Polish-Spanish Conference on the European Legal Tradition

May 09 2025

ERUA experts meet to discuss joint Master’s degree program in migration

ERUA experts meet to discuss joint Master’s degree program in migration

A group of 18 experts from seven European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) member universities met in Sofia, Bulgaria at the end of May to...

June 02 2025

Professor Agata Gąsiorowska appointed President of IAREP

Professor Agata Gąsiorowska appointed President of IAREP

We are proud to announce that Professor Agata Gąsiorowska from SWPS University has been elected President of the International Association...

May 28 2025

Masterclass: Using ACT to Support Children and Adolescents

Masterclass: Using ACT to Support Children and Adolescents

Using ACT to Support Children and Adolescents Masterclass by SWPS University's School of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy under the leadership...

May 04 2025

Job and Internship Fair 2025

Job and Internship Fair 2025

Job and Internship Fair 2025 Collaborate with SWPS University's Office of Career Services Reach out to us Date and...

April 10 2025

Masterclass: Hoarding Disorder – A Question of Value?

Masterclass: Hoarding Disorder – A Question of Value?

Hoarding Disorder – A Question of Value? Masterclass by SWPS University's School of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy under the leadership of:...

April 04 2025

Do we trust science and scientists? Answers from international study

Do we trust science and scientists? Answers from international study

The majority of people put their trust in science and agree that scientists should significantly influence social policy, according to a...

April 03 2025

SWPS University in Wroclaw to host 9th “Exchange of New Design” exhibition

SWPS University in Wroclaw to host 9th “Exchange of New Design” exhibition

The "Exchange of New Design" exhibition brings young artists together to showcase their work in new spaces. SWPS University students will...

March 25 2025

ERUA Innovative Teaching Initiatives — Cultural Collaborations: Art, Politics, Society

ERUA Innovative Teaching Initiatives — Cultural Collaborations: Art, Politics, Society

In March 2025, a group of eight students from SWPS University’s Cultural Studies program participated in a travelling seminar on “Cultural...

March 25 2025

Anna Nowokuńska-Maksymiuk receives German Design Award 2025

Anna Nowokuńska-Maksymiuk receives German Design Award 2025

March 06 2025

EASP Group Meeting on Moral Psychology

EASP Group Meeting on Moral Psychology

February 28 2025

Dr. Katarzyna Wojtkiewicz named SEAP's Representative for Cooperation with NISPAcee

Dr. Katarzyna Wojtkiewicz named SEAP's Representative for Cooperation with NISPAcee

We are pleased to announce that Stowarzyszenie Edukacji Administracji Publicznej (SEAP) has appointed Dr. Katarzyna B. Wojtkiewicz, Head of...

May 22 2025

War-related post-traumatic stress disorder: How to effectively help the victims?

War-related post-traumatic stress disorder: How to effectively help the victims?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects approx. 10 percent of road accident participants and as many as half of people who have...

February 20 2025

Climate change may contribute to mental disorders

Climate change may contribute to mental disorders

A growing number of people feel anxious about the consequences of changing climate conditions. We are bombarded with news about floods,...

February 05 2025

Summary of

Summary of "ER-UA: Strengthening Cooperation with Ukrainian Universities" Project

The year 2024 was a time of close and fruitful international collaboration between SWPS University and several Ukrainian universities. The...

January 24 2025

Year of the Snake: Celebration of Chinese New Year

Year of the Snake: Celebration of Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most significant holidays in the Chinese calendar. According to the...

January 20 2025

A Day with Psychology in English at SWPS University in Sopot

A Day with Psychology in English at SWPS University in Sopot

Are you fascinated by psychology? Curious about how the human mind works? Interested in discovering how psychology connects with other...

January 17 2025

Virtual world: Scientifically proven way of dealing with phobias

Virtual world: Scientifically proven way of dealing with phobias

Do you suffer from arachnophobia (fear of spiders), agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), or acrophobia (fear of heights)? Researchers from SWPS...

December 05 2024

Professor Mario Gollwitzer: The (Social) Psychology of Revenge

Professor Mario Gollwitzer: The (Social) Psychology of Revenge

Revenge is often viewed as a means to restore justice, but what psychological factors influence this response? Join us for an engaging...

May 09 2025

Fido: Polish chatbot to help you feel better

Fido: Polish chatbot to help you feel better

Can a conversation with a therapeutic chatbot reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety? The creators of the Polish-language chatbot Fido...

November 28 2024

“Looking Through Objects. Women in Contemporary Polish Design” Exhibition at Design Museum Brussels

“Looking Through Objects. Women in Contemporary Polish Design” Exhibition at Design Museum Brussels

The traveling exhibition spotlighting Polish women designers is making its way to Belgium. Opening on May 8 at Design Museum Brussels,...

April 30 2025

Professor Agnieszka Popiel Named Global CBT Ambassador

Professor Agnieszka Popiel Named Global CBT Ambassador

Professor Agnieszka Popiel from SWPS University has been selected as the Global CBT Ambassador for 2025 by the European Association for...

April 25 2025

Study: Does feminism begin at home?

Study: Does feminism begin at home?

Are attitudes to feminism shaped at home, through the relationship with the mother? Or are there other factors that influence women's...

November 19 2024

Recommendations for institutions and individuals supporting Ukrainian refugees in Poland: webinar summary

Recommendations for institutions and individuals supporting Ukrainian refugees in Poland: webinar summary

Learning how to effectively help people who have fled the war in Ukraine is essential for maintaining good relations between Poles and...

November 18 2024

Next Generation Club: Donald Norman

Next Generation Club: Donald Norman "From Human-Centered Design to Humanity-Centered Design"

Join us for another meeting in the Next Generation Club series organized by SWPS University’s Department of Graphic Design. This time we will...

April 16 2025

SWPS University joins International Relations Offices Forum

SWPS University joins International Relations Offices Forum

We are pleased to announce that SWPS University has recently become a member of the International Relations Offices Forum (IROs Forum), a...

January 13 2025

Intuitive motivator in everyone!

Intuitive motivator in everyone!

Social media posts, speeches, advertising slogans and leaflets... Why do some of them inspire us to act while we pass others by with...

November 05 2024

Transforming Media Accessibility in Europe

Transforming Media Accessibility in Europe

Professor Krzysztof Krejtz, head of the Eye Tracking Research Center at SWPS University, co-edited the book Transforming Media Accessibility...

October 30 2024

SWPS University students take part in 43rd Japanese Speech Contest

SWPS University students take part in 43rd Japanese Speech Contest

Students from SWPS University’s Department of Asian Studies participated in this year’s Japanese Speech Contest. They delivered speeches in...

April 10 2025

Professor Małgorzata Gamian-Wilk elected to the board of IAWBH

Professor Małgorzata Gamian-Wilk elected to the board of IAWBH

Małgorzata Gamian-Wilk, Ph.D. / Associate Professor, psychologist at the Faculty of Psychology in Wrocław, SWPS University, is now a member...

December 05 2024

Reconstructing Faras historical garments: A unique show in Paris

Reconstructing Faras historical garments: A unique show in Paris

October 17 2024

Cultural differences between Poland and Ukraine: webinar summary

Cultural differences between Poland and Ukraine: webinar summary

Understanding cultural nuances is essential for building effective connections. On October 7, 2024, SWPS University hosted a webinar...

October 07 2024

Secret of effective learning: Retrieving information in different ways

Secret of effective learning: Retrieving information in different ways

How to learn effectively? It is important to retrieve the material we learn from memory at certain intervals, but that is not all. For even...

April 09 2025

SWPS University signs cooperation agreement with UN Global Compact Network Poland

SWPS University signs cooperation agreement with UN Global Compact Network Poland

SWPS University has signed a cooperation agreement with UN Global Compact Network Poland – an organization supporting Polish companies and...

April 07 2025

Ms. Programmer and Mr. Nanny: How women and men function in professions unusual for their genders

Ms. Programmer and Mr. Nanny: How women and men function in professions unusual for their genders

Women in masculinised professions and men in feminised professions feel that they have a special status in their work environments. Both...

September 17 2024

Every reaction will help: Increasing the sense of responsibility of Internet users

Every reaction will help: Increasing the sense of responsibility of Internet users

Certain messages can drive Internet users to take action in the face of cyberbullying, although the diffusion of responsibility on the...

September 01 2024

Dr. Aleksandra Borek receives UKSBM Outstanding Investigator Award

Dr. Aleksandra Borek receives UKSBM Outstanding Investigator Award

Dr. Aleksandra Borek from SWPS University’s Institute of Psychology has received the UK Society for Behavioural Medicine Outstanding...

March 28 2025

We're not eating Peppa! Preschoolers befriend farm animals

We're not eating Peppa! Preschoolers befriend farm animals

Giving a chicken, turkey or pig a name and pointing out its individual qualities may change children's attitudes towards animals. It makes...

July 17 2024

What Young Children Can Teach Us About AI?

What Young Children Can Teach Us About AI?

Join us for a thought-provoking online lecture by Professor Alison Gopnik from the University of California, a world-renowned expert in...

March 19 2025

SWPS University Moves Up in Times Higher Education Impact Rankings

SWPS University Moves Up in Times Higher Education Impact Rankings

SWPS University has received recognition for its strong commitment to gender equality in the recent Times Higher Education (THE) Impact...

June 17 2024

When robot becomes boss: Research on authority, obedience and relationships with machines

When robot becomes boss: Research on authority, obedience and relationships with machines

How would a robot perform in a managerial position? Research carried out by Polish scientists suggest that robots garner less respect from...

March 14 2025

Common vision of ERUA — Management Committee meets in Brussels

Common vision of ERUA — Management Committee meets in Brussels

The Management Committee of the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) met in Brussels to discuss the key aspects of the alliance...

March 13 2025

“Szymon Szymankiewicz. Posters” – exhibition at SWPS University's Graphic Design Gallery

“Szymon Szymankiewicz. Posters” – exhibition at SWPS University's Graphic Design Gallery

Explore the work of Szymon Szymankiewicz, one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Polish poster art. His solo exhibition at SWPS...

March 06 2025

Leadership LAB Project participant launches SalesPatriot platform

Leadership LAB Project participant launches SalesPatriot platform

Maciej Szymczyk, a long-time participant in the Leadership LAB development and research project carried out under the auspices of SWPS...

February 03 2025

THE Rankings by Subject 2025: SWPS University's psychology program second in Poland

THE Rankings by Subject 2025: SWPS University's psychology program second in Poland

SWPS University has reaffirmed its position as one of Poland's top psychology education providers in the prestigious Times Higher Education...

January 27 2025

Professor Aleksandra Łuszczyńska named Senior Co-Editor of

Professor Aleksandra Łuszczyńska named Senior Co-Editor of "Social Science and Medicine"

Professor Aleksandra Łuszczyńska from SWPS University in Wrocław has been appointed Senior Co-Editor of the Health Psychology section of the...

September 24 2024

An Analytic of Cisness, Toward its Abolition: Lecture by Prof. Emma Heaney

An Analytic of Cisness, Toward its Abolition: Lecture by Prof. Emma Heaney

Join us for a unique opportunity to hear from a leading contemporary voice in trans studies. In her lecture, Professor Emma Heaney from New...

January 24 2025

SWPS University in QS World University Rankings: Europe 2025

SWPS University in QS World University Rankings: Europe 2025

SWPS University has been ranked second-best in Poland for "Citations per Paper" in the QS World University Rankings: Europe. In addition, we...

July 16 2024

THE Rankings by Subject 2025: SWPS University ranks first in Poland in social sciences

THE Rankings by Subject 2025: SWPS University ranks first in Poland in social sciences

SWPS University has once again secured its position as the leading institution for social sciences in Poland, according to the prestigious...

January 24 2025

Dr. Marzena Cypryańska-Nezlek named European Climate Pact Ambassador

Dr. Marzena Cypryańska-Nezlek named European Climate Pact Ambassador

Dr. Marzena Cypryańska-Nezlek from SWPS University’s Faculty of Psychology in Warsaw has been appointed a European Climate Pact Ambassador....

January 23 2025

Dr. Justyna Górowska selected for Studiotopia Residency Program

Dr. Justyna Górowska selected for Studiotopia Residency Program

Dr. Justyna Górowska from SWPS University’s Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies in Kraków will take part in the second edition of the...

January 17 2025

Evening of Christmas carols with SWPS University

Evening of Christmas carols with SWPS University

Experience the joy of Polish and international Christmas carols performed by the SWPS University Choir, conducted by Ewa Mackiewicz. Join us...

January 15 2025

How to dissolve the truth in 7 simple steps: lecture summary

How to dissolve the truth in 7 simple steps: lecture summary

Dr. Bartosz Kicior, an experienced media researcher from the Department of Journalism and Social Communication of SWPS University in Warsaw,...

January 14 2025

SWPS University joins Business Graduates Association

SWPS University joins Business Graduates Association

We are pleased to announce that SWPS University has officially become a member of the Business Graduates Association (BGA), an organization...

January 08 2025

ERUA Podcast #1 – Let the students talk

ERUA Podcast #1 – Let the students talk

The European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) has launched its first podcast. This time Professor Hristo Panchugov from New Bulgarian...

January 03 2025

SWPS University in Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023

SWPS University in Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023

At SWPS University, we are dedicated to fostering sustainability in all aspects of our work. Our commitment is reflected in our position in...

June 02 2023

Stolen Pride: Lecture by Prof. Arlie Russell Hochschild

Stolen Pride: Lecture by Prof. Arlie Russell Hochschild

Join us for an engaging meeting with Professor Arlie Russell Hochschild, a renowned sociologist and author of Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and...

December 12 2024

Aging Myths Challenged: Elderly More Risk-Tolerant and Resistant to Manipulative Choices

Aging Myths Challenged: Elderly More Risk-Tolerant and Resistant to Manipulative Choices

Older adults are more inclined toward risk-taking than previously believed, and they also demonstrate an inherent ability to resist...

December 05 2024

Professor Adam Szpaderski joins the International Council of Museums

Professor Adam Szpaderski joins the International Council of Museums

We are proud to announce that on November 19, Professor Adam Szpaderski, head of the Center for Research on the Economics of Memorial Sites...

November 25 2024

SWPS University in Shanghai GRAS 2024

SWPS University in Shanghai GRAS 2024

SWPS University was ranked second in Poland in the Psychology category in the prestigious Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. We...

November 15 2024

Dr. Katarzyna Growiec Receives Horizon Europe Funding for LONELY-EU Project

Dr. Katarzyna Growiec Receives Horizon Europe Funding for LONELY-EU Project

Dr. Katarzyna Growiec, in collaboration with an international consortium, has secured Horizon Europe funding for her project titled...

October 21 2024

SWPS University Receives Kotler Award Poland

SWPS University Receives Kotler Award Poland

We are proud to announce that SWPS University has been honored with the Kotler Award in the B2B category, which recognizes excellence in...

October 18 2024

International Leadership and Management: Emerging, Contemporary, and Unorthodox Perspectives

International Leadership and Management: Emerging, Contemporary, and Unorthodox Perspectives

The terms “leadership” and “management” have been defined in many different ways over the years. Perhaps, the multitude of these definitions...

July 15 2022

SWPS University in THE World University Rankings 2025

SWPS University in THE World University Rankings 2025

SWPS University has been included in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 for the sixth consecutive year. We once again...

October 11 2024

A New Kong Zi in Old Clothing – Lecture by Professor Scott Cook

A New Kong Zi in Old Clothing – Lecture by Professor Scott Cook

Join us for an engaging lecture by Professor Scott Cook of Yale-NUS College. He will uncover new insights into Confucius's teachings through...

September 24 2024

Normativity and Resilience in Translation and Culture

Normativity and Resilience in Translation and Culture

Normativity and Resilience in Translation and Culture, co-edited by Professor Agnieszka Pantuchowicz, Dr. Emma Oki, and Dr. Anna Warso of...

September 03 2024

Art of makeup, art of camouflage

Art of makeup, art of camouflage

Makeup is one of the strategic tools for shaping one's image. To what extent can its intensity and form vary depending on the occasion and...

September 01 2024

SWPS University in Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2024

SWPS University in Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2024

We are pleased to announce that SWPS University has been ranked between 301 and 350 globally in the renowned Times Higher Education Young...

May 14 2024

Impact of Politics on Media in Poland Through the Ages

Impact of Politics on Media in Poland Through the Ages

Politics and the Media in Poland from the 19th to the 21st Centuries is a comprehensive compilation of research exploring how turbulent...

April 25 2024

Cultural Psychology and Acculturation

Cultural Psychology and Acculturation

In his latest publication – Cultural Psychology and Acculturation – Professor Paweł Boski, a renowned cultural psychologist, a pioneer of...

April 11 2024

The Impact of Migration on Poland

The Impact of Migration on Poland

Since the 2004 enlargement of the European Union, migration between Poland and other European countries has significantly increased. Migration...

October 05 2018

Artists Labour Market, Cultural Policy and Creative Economy

Artists Labour Market, Cultural Policy and Creative Economy

In the dynamic landscape of the creative economy, understanding the intricacies of the labor market is crucial. In Artists Labour Market,...

April 05 2024

Family, Law, and Society: From Roman Law to the Present Day

Family, Law, and Society: From Roman Law to the Present Day

Family, Law, and Society: From Roman Law to the Present Day, co-edited by Dr. Ewa Dawidziuk from SWPS University,offers insightful...

February 19 2024

Social Biases During Covid 19

Social Biases During Covid 19

SWPS University’s distinguished psychologists, Professor Dariusz Dolinski and Professor Wojciech Kulesza, have conducted a comprehensive...

December 01 2023

USWPS Tops Times Higher Education Ranking for Social Sciences in Poland

USWPS Tops Times Higher Education Ranking for Social Sciences in Poland

SWPS University retains its position as the leading institution in Poland according to the esteemed Times Higher Education (THE) World...

November 08 2023

Times Higher Education Ranks USWPS Psychology Program 2nd in Poland

Times Higher Education Ranks USWPS Psychology Program 2nd in Poland

SWPS University is one of the leading Polish higher education institutions that provide psychology programs according to the prestigious...

November 07 2023

USWPS Ranked First in Poland for Psychology in Shanghai GRAS

USWPS Ranked First in Poland for Psychology in Shanghai GRAS

SWPS University has once again secured a leading position for psychology in Poland in the esteemed Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic...

November 03 2023

USWPS Among Poland's Best in THE World University Rankings

USWPS Among Poland's Best in THE World University Rankings

SWPS University has been recognized for its extensive international perspective in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. In the...

October 06 2023

USWPS Claims First Place in Poland for

USWPS Claims First Place in Poland for "Citations per Paper" in QS Rankings Europe 2024

We are pleased to announce that SWPS University has been ranked as the top university in Poland in the QS Rankings Europe 2024, in the...

September 28 2023

SWPS University in Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2023

SWPS University in Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2023

We are pleased to announce that SWPS University has been ranked between 351 and 400 globally in the highly regarded Times Higher Education...

July 04 2023

It’s not easy being a single man

It’s not easy being a single man

It’s not easy being a single man Existing research on singlehood has largely focused on the experiences of single women, and...

May 19 2023

Female Sexuality and Attribution of Blame in Intimate Partner Violence Situations

Female Sexuality and Attribution of Blame in Intimate Partner Violence Situations

Female Sexuality and Attribution of Blame in Intimate Partner Violence Situations Intimate partner violence (IPV) largely affects...

April 04 2023

Designing Design Thinking Methodology

Designing Design Thinking Methodology

Designing Design Thinking Methodology Design Thinking (DT) emerged as a popular problem solving and idea generating method in...

March 02 2023

Impact of pregnancy on cognitive function in women

Impact of pregnancy on cognitive function in women

Impact of pregnancy on cognitive function in women A team of researchers, including Aneta Brzezicka, Ph.D. / Associate Professor...

February 27 2023

There is no place like home

There is no place like home

There is no place like home The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken our lives on many levels. Researchers from SWPS University’s Youth...

February 24 2023

Emigrant external voting in CEE after EU Enlargement

Emigrant external voting in CEE after EU Enlargement

Emigrant external voting in CEE after EU Enlargement The European Union's Eastern Enlargement of 2004–2007 triggered a large wave...

January 25 2023

Impact of Russian invasion on Ukraine on psychiatric patients in Poland

Impact of Russian invasion on Ukraine on psychiatric patients in Poland

Impact of Russian invasion on Ukraine on psychiatric patients in Poland The Russian invasion on Ukraine in February 2022...

January 24 2023

Like breeds like or how self-resemblance influences mimicry

Like breeds like or how self-resemblance influences mimicry

Like breeds like or how self-resemblence influences mimicry Facial expressions are an essential source of inferences about one’s...

January 18 2023

Person-centered approach to cognitive emotion regulation

Person-centered approach to cognitive emotion regulation

Person-centered approach to cognitive emotion regulation Could tailored-made approach to cognitive emotion regulation, one...

January 18 2023

Lost in Facebook

Lost in Facebook

Lost in Facebook Do social media keep us away from the completion of important tasks and how does Facebook fare among them? A...

January 13 2023

Does moral conduct impact likability of a person?

Does moral conduct impact likability of a person?

Does moral conduct impact the likability of a person? It has been shown that people tend to positively judge the moral character...

November 22 2022

Positive/negative differentiation and voting behavior

Positive/negative differentiation and voting behavior

Positive/negative differentiation and voting behavior How do people make choices? How do they perceive gradation in the...

November 17 2022

Helpful or harmful? How do electronic media impact child development?

Helpful or harmful? How do electronic media impact child development?

Helpful or harmful? How do electronic media impact child development? Can the use of electronic media be beneficial for child development and...

November 16 2022

Are we ready for meat alternatives? Literature review

Are we ready for meat alternatives? Literature review

Are we ready for meat alternatives? Literature review The discussion on switching from the production and consumption of meat to...

October 24 2022

Are optimists more eager to get vaccinated? Who are anti-vaxxers?

Are optimists more eager to get vaccinated? Who are anti-vaxxers?

Are optimists more eager to get vaccinated? Who are anti-vaxxers? During the coronavirus pandemic, some people were eager to get...

October 22 2022

How to cope with stress arising from leaving home to study abroad?

How to cope with stress arising from leaving home to study abroad?

Going away from home to a university in a foreign country is exciting, but it may also be a bit worrying. It might be the...

May 17 2022

A short guide to studying in Poland: cultural background

A short guide to studying in Poland: cultural background

Diversity is the spice of life. Different cultures around the globe cultivate different customs, different social norms,...

April 12 2022

Short guide to studying in Poland: practical aspects of daily life

Short guide to studying in Poland: practical aspects of daily life

Moving to a foreign country to study is very exciting. You get an opportunity to live in another part of the world, meet...

March 15 2022

Moving to Poland to pursue university education

Moving to Poland to pursue university education

Imagine that you have been accepted to a university in Poland. What comes next? Will you need a visa to enter the country?...

February 22 2022

How to apply to a university in Poland?

How to apply to a university in Poland?

Many people dream of studying abroad, but feel overwhelmed with the application process, the requirements, and the sheer...

January 18 2022

A short guide to studying in Poland: formal aspects

A short guide to studying in Poland: formal aspects

When thinking about studying abroad, you are probably considering many aspects of higher education not only the particular...

December 14 2021

Why Poland is a good choice for university education?

Why Poland is a good choice for university education?

There are 44 countries in Europe. Why, of all places, should you choose Poland and one of its universities to study? There...

November 16 2021

Failed Leadership

Failed Leadership

Leadership is a hot topic in political, business, and social circles, because a leader can make or break a country, a company, or a social...

February 26 2021

Psychological Perspectives on Financial Decision Making

Psychological Perspectives on Financial Decision Making

ew “Money makes the world go round”. Financial decisions impact not only individuals, but also whole countries and the global community. Therefore,...

September 08 2020

English Edition of Kultura Popularna

English Edition of Kultura Popularna

The newest edition of Kultura Popularna (Popular Culture), a peer-reviewed academic publication of SWPS University, explores myths of domesticity...

March 20 2019

Migrants as Agents of Change

Migrants as Agents of Change

For the past few years, the topic of migration has been appearing in media daily. Recent Brexit has added a new dimension to the discussion and...

January 02 2017

Pre-Suasion by R. Cialdini Published under the Auspices of SWPS University

Pre-Suasion by R. Cialdini Published under the Auspices of SWPS University

The Polish edition of Robert Cialdini’s new book, Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, has been published under...

November 08 2016

SWPS University - Main page See more information about HR Excellence in Research

Address:

Chodakowska 19/31, 03-815 Warszawa, Poland

phone +48 22 517 96 00, [email protected]

© 2021 SWPS University

Privacy Policy

Cookies Policy