Explicit and implicit anti-mafia collective action intentions and mafia-related knowledge are predicted by demographics, personality traits, social attitudes and contextual factors

Understanding the psychological, cultural, and social factors that shape attitudes toward mafia-type organized crime (MCOs) and influence collective anti-mafia action is crucial, yet research on this topic remains limited. Existing studies have largely focused on cognitive and affective variables, such as beliefs about social change, romanticization of MCOs, and vicarious shame, while the effects of demographic, personality and contextual factors have been overlooked. Additionally, the interplay between implicit and explicit processes in shaping behavior toward MCOs, and the role of individual differences in determining knowledge about the mafia phenomenon remain unclear.To address these gaps, we conducted two online studies with Italian participants. In Study 1 (N = 220), participants recalled names of well-known figures associated with either mafia-type crime or the anti-mafia movement. Their intentions to engage in collective anti-mafia action were measured via self-report. In Study 2 (N = 150), participants completed a face recognition task involving mafia and anti-mafia figures, alongside an innovative mouse-tracking assessment to capture implicit anti-mafia collective action intentions.Our findings suggest that demographic factors (i.e., news reading frequency, media exposure, education, birth and residence region), personality traits (i.e., extroversion, openness, conscientiousness), social orientations (i.e., attitudes toward MCOs, civic engagement, system justification) and contextual factors (i.e., perceived risk and efficacy) influence implicit and/or explicit anti-mafia intentions. Notably, participants’ age, attitudes toward mafia-type crime, news reading frequency, and occupation predicted the recognition frequency of mafia and/or anti-mafia figures. Finally, recall and recognition were higher for anti-mafia personalities than for mafia members.These results contribute to an underexplored research area and have practical implications for designing evidence-based interventions to counter mafia culture and promote civic engagement against organized crime.