From Threat to Relief: Expressing Prejudice toward Atheists as a Self-Regulatory Strategy Protecting the Religious Orthodox from Threat

Abstract

We claim that religious orthodoxy is related to prejudice toward groups that violate important values, i.e., atheists. Moreover, we suggest that expressing prejudice may efficiently reduce the threat posed by this particular group among people who hold high levels, but not low levels, of orthodox belief. We tested these assumptions in an experimental study in which, after being exposed to atheistic worldviews (value-threat manipulation), high and low orthodox participants were allowed (experimental condition) or not (control condition) to express prejudice toward atheists. Threat was operationalized by cardiovascular reactivity, i.e., heart rate (HR); the higher the HR index, the higher the threat. The results found that people who hold high (vs. low) levels of orthodox belief responded with increased HR after the threat manipulation. However, we observed decreased HR after the expression of prejudice toward atheists among highly orthodox participants compared to the control condition. We did not find this effect among people holding low levels of orthodox belief. Thus, we conclude that expressing prejudice toward this particular group may be an efficient strategy to cope with the threat posed by this group for highly orthodox people. The results are discussed in light of previous findings on religious beliefs and the self-regulatory function of prejudice.

Right‐ and left‐wing prejudice toward dissimilar groups in cultural and economic domains

“…This can also be expected in the opposite direction; one could expect that a Catholic would violate the values of those on the left. As was shown, the larger the discrepancy between beliefs, the larger selfreported value violation (e.g., Brandt et al, 2014) but also physiologically manifested threat (Kossowska, Szwed, Czernatowicz-Kukuczka, Sekerdej, & Wyczesany, 2017). However, the default mode of perceiving those with dissimilar beliefs as value violating may not always occur.…”

“…Thus, one might expect that an atheist, in light of their opinions and worldviews, would violate values of those on the political right (e.g., Henry & Reyna, 2007;. As was shown, the larger the discrepancy between beliefs, the larger selfreported value violation (e.g., Brandt et al, 2014) but also physiologically manifested threat (Kossowska, Szwed, Czernatowicz-Kukuczka, Sekerdej, & Wyczesany, 2017). As was shown, the larger the discrepancy between beliefs, the larger selfreported value violation (e.g., Brandt et al, 2014) but also physiologically manifested threat (Kossowska, Szwed, Czernatowicz-Kukuczka, Sekerdej, & Wyczesany, 2017).…”

Worldview conflict and prejudice

“…In a mediation analysis, uncertainty was associated with more prejudice towards both atheists and homosexuals via increases in the importance of religious behaviors and perceived value violations. Another study did not manipulate uncertainty directly, but rather directly exposed a small sample of religious participants to worldview-threatening information (i.e., an atheistic worldview; Kossowska, Szwed, Czernatowicz-Kukuczka, Sekerdej, & Wyczesany, 2017).…”

Inclusion Reduces Political Prejudice

“…This result suggests that an inclusive climate can help overcome the uncertainty that people often experience when dissimilar beliefs threaten their desire to understand the world (cf. Kossowska, Szwed, Czernatowicz-Kukuczka, Sekerdej, & Wyczesany, 2017).…”