Diversity policy, social dominance, and intergroup relations: Predicting prejudice in changing social and political contexts.

Abstract

In contrast to authors of previous single-nation studies, we propose that supporting multiculturalism (MC) or assimilation (AS) is likely to have different effects in different countries, depending on the diversity policy in place in a particular country and the associated norms. A causal model of intergroup attitudes and behaviors, integrating both country-specific factors (attitudes and perceived norms related to a particular diversity policy) and general social-psychological determinants (social dominance orientation), was tested among participants from countries where the pro-diversity policy was independently classified as low, medium, or high (N = 1,232). Results showed that (a) anti-Muslim prejudice was significantly reduced when the pro-diversity policy was high; (b) countries differed strongly in perceived norms related to MC and AS, in ways consistent with the actual diversity policy in each country and regardless of participants' personal attitudes toward MC and AS; (c) as predicted, when these norms were salient, due to subtle priming, structural equation modeling with country included as a variable provided support for the proposed model, suggesting that the effect of country on prejudice can be successfully accounted by it; and (d) consistent with the claim that personal support for MC and AS played a different role in different countries, within-country mediation analyses provided evidence that personal attitudes toward AS mediated the effect of social dominance orientation on prejudice when pro-diversity policy was low, whereas personal attitudes toward MC was the mediator when pro-diversity policy was high. Thus, the critical variables shaping prejudice can vary across nations.

The Relationship between Political Orientation and Race on Modern Racism

“…Among the leading theories of intergroup relations in social psychology, social identity theory, realistic group ISSN 2329-9150 2016 conflict theory, and social dominance theory all offer explanations to better understand modern racist attitudes (Guimond et al, 2013;Tajfel & Turner, 1979;1986).…”

“…A considerable number of studies have shown that political orientation has a significant relationship with modern racist attitudes (Guimond et al, 2013;Nail et al, 2003;Nelson, 2006;Sniderman, Piazza, Tetlock, & Kendrick, 1991;Whitley, 1999).…”

The Psychological Effects of Terrorism are Moderated by Cultural Worldviews [Les Effets Psychologiques du Terrorisme sont Modérés par les Normes Culturelles]

“…Indeed, one can generally expect that a cultural worldview will be impactful in a country when it is representative of this country's policy and traditions. For example, on the basis of Guimond et al's (2013) results, multiculturalism can be expected to have a more powerful impact in Canada or in the U.S.A. where it is a widely shared cultural worldview than in Germany or France where most people are perceived as being against multiculturalism (see Guimond, Streith, & Roebroeck, 2015). In the present experiment, four worldviews representing different approach to the management of diversity were experimentally induced: assimilation, multiculturalism, colorblind equality, and laïcité.…”

“…In support of an original theoretical framework, findings showed that national immigration and integration policies that were in place in various countries generated distinctive cultural norms of integration, representing distinctive shared beliefs or worldviews about the best way to deal with issues of cultural and religious diversity. Because of variations in the social and political context, a given worldview may be impactful in one country but not in another (see Guimond et al, 2013). Indeed, one can generally expect that a cultural worldview will be impactful in a country when it is representative of this country's policy and traditions.…”

Solidarity in diverse societies: beyond neoliberal multiculturalism and welfare chauvinism

“…Despite the pessimistic claims of some of the earliest proponents of the progressive's dilemma, it is now clear that there is no inherent or universal tendency for multiculturalism to drive down solidarity. Crossnational studies show that countries which have gone farther down the road of embracing multiculturalism policies have on average fared as well as other countries in maintaining social spending, in maintaining public support for redistributive programs, and in maintaining attitudes of inclusive solidarity (Banting & Kymlicka, 2006, (in press;) Brady & Finnigan 2014;Kesler & Bloemraad 2010;Crepaz 2006;Guimond et al 2013). While multiculturalism and neoliberalism may have coincided in some countries in the 1980s, it is now clear that the impact of the latter was largely independent of the former, and that countries which rejected multiculturalism fared no better in defending the welfare state than those countries that embraced multiculturalism.…”