1
|
Dhont K, Ioannidou M. Similarities and differences between vegetarians and vegans in motives for meat-free and plant-based diets. Appetite 2024; 195:107232. [PMID: 38286335 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Plant-based diets are quickly gaining popularity for their benefits to animal welfare, the environment, and public health. Compared to meat-eaters, meat-abstainers such as vegetarians and vegans are especially motivated by animal rights and the environment. However, little is known about the motivational and psychological factors that distinguish vegetarians from vegans, and what prevents vegetarians to shift towards a fully plant-based diet. In a sample of vegans (n = 335) and vegetarians (n = 182), we investigated a) motives for reducing or quitting meat consumption and b) motives for reducing or quitting animal product (dairy and egg products) consumption, as well as moral psychological and social-contextual factors that may explain potential differences. Results demonstrate that vegetarians and vegans tend to be similar in their motives to abstain from meat consumption and are most strongly motivated by animal rights. However, vegetarians are less motivated by health, environmental, and especially animal rights for dairy/egg reduction compared to meat reduction and compared to vegans. Lower moral concern for animals, stronger beliefs in human supremacy over animals, and heightened veganism threat among vegetarians (vs. vegans) partly explained why vegetarians were less strongly motivated by animal rights for dairy/egg reduction. Human supremacy beliefs also explained differences between vegetarians and vegans in health and environmental motives for dairy/egg reduction. Furthermore, vegetarians reported significantly less social support for plant-based diets and perceived more practical barriers to plant-based diets than vegans. These findings reveal meaningful differences in the motivational and psychological profiles of vegetarians and vegans and highlight the value of distinguishing between motives for meat-free diets and motives for plant-based diets.
Collapse
|
2
|
Van Assche J, Swart H, Schmid K, Dhont K, Al Ramiah A, Christ O, Kauff M, Rothmann S, Savelkoul M, Tausch N, Wölfer R, Zahreddine S, Saleem M, Hewstone M. Intergroup contact is reliably associated with reduced prejudice, even in the face of group threat and discrimination. Am Psychol 2023; 78:761-774. [PMID: 36892922 DOI: 10.1037/amp0001144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Intergroup contact provides a reliable means of reducing prejudice. Yet, critics suggested that its efficacy is undermined, even eliminated, under certain conditions. Specifically, contact may be ineffective in the face of threat, especially to (historically) advantaged groups, and discrimination, experienced especially by (historically) disadvantaged groups. We considered perceived intergroup threat and perceived discrimination as potential moderators of the effect of contact on prejudice. Two meta-analyses of correlational data from 34 studies (totaling 63,945 respondents-drawn from 67 subsamples across 19 countries) showed that contact was associated with decreased prejudice and increased out-group positivity, in cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, among advantaged and disadvantaged group members, and in both Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) and non-WEIRD contexts. Both perceived threat and perceived discrimination moderated the contact-attitude association, but in an unanticipated direction. Indeed, contact's beneficial effects were at least as strong among individuals high (r = .19) as among individuals low (r = .18) in perceived threat. Similarly, the effects of contact were at least as strong among those high (r = .23) as among those low (r = .20) in perceived discrimination. We conclude that contact is effective for promoting tolerant societies because it is effective even among subpopulations where achieving that goal might be most challenging. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Van Assche
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nicole Tausch
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews
| | - Ralf Wölfer
- Deutsches Zentrum fur Integrations- und Migrationsforschung
| | - Sarah Zahreddine
- Center for Social and Cultural Psychology, Universite Libre de Bruxelles
| | - Muniba Saleem
- Department of Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara
| | - Miles Hewstone
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Krattenmacher J, Casal P, Dutkiewicz J, Huchard E, Sanders E, Treich N, Wadiwel D, Williams A, Bègue L, Cardilini APA, Dhont K, Dugnoille J, Espinosa R, Gagliano M, Lairon D, Maheta M, Mendez L, Nowicki P, Quinn TP, Razum O, Ripple WJ, Rothgerber H, Twine R. Universities should lead on the plant-based dietary transition. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e354-e355. [PMID: 37164509 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00082-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Krattenmacher
- Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec 25250, Czech Republic; Global Climate Forum, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Paula Casal
- ICREA and Pompeu Fabra University, Law Department, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jan Dutkiewicz
- Brooks McCormick Jr Animal Law and Policy Clinic, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Elise Huchard
- ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Edel Sanders
- School of Psychology, University of New York in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Nicolas Treich
- Toulouse School of Economics, INRAE, University Toulouse Capitole, Toulouse, France.
| | - Dinesh Wadiwel
- School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew Williams
- ICREA and Pompeu Fabra University, Law Department, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laurent Bègue
- LIP/PC2S, Department of Psychology, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Adam P A Cardilini
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Geelong, VIC, Australia; Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Julien Dugnoille
- Department of Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Monica Gagliano
- Biological Intelligence Lab, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia
| | - Denis Lairon
- C2VN INSERM-INRAE-AMU, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | | | | | - Piotr Nowicki
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Thomas P Quinn
- Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Oliver Razum
- Department of Epidemiology and International Public Health, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - William J Ripple
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Hank Rothgerber
- Department of Psychology, Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Richard Twine
- Centre for Human-Animal Studies (CfHAS), Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Leach S, Sutton RM, Dhont K, Douglas KM, Bergström ZM. Are we smart enough to remember how smart animals are? J Exp Psychol Gen 2023:2023-63358-001. [PMID: 37053401 DOI: 10.1037/xge0001401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Some theoretical perspectives suggest people overestimate animals' mental capacities (anthropomorphism), while others suggest the reverse (mind-denial). However, studies have generally not employed objective criteria against which the accuracy or appropriateness of people's judgments about animals can be tested. We employed memory paradigms, in which judgments are clearly right or wrong, in nine experiments (eight preregistered; n = 3,162). When tested shortly after exposure, meat-eaters' memory about companion animals (e.g., dogs) but not food animals (e.g., pigs) showed an anthropomorphic bias: they remembered more information consistent with animals having versus lacking a mind (Experiments 1-4). Vegetarians' and vegans' memory, on the other hand, consistently showed an anthropomorphic bias regarding food and companion animals alike (Experiments 5 and 6). When tested a week after exposure, both those who eat meat and those who do not showed signs of shifting toward a mind-denying bias (Experiments 2, 3, and 6). These biases had important consequences for beliefs about animal minds. Inducing mind-denying memory biases caused participants to see animals as possessing less sophisticated minds (Experiments 7-9). The work demonstrates that memories concerning animals' minds can depart predictably from reality and that such departures can contribute to biased evaluations of their mental capacities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
|
5
|
Leach S, Sutton RM, Dhont K, Douglas KM, Bergström ZM. Changing minds about minds: Evidence that people are too sceptical about animal sentience. Cognition 2023; 230:105263. [PMID: 36099857 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Our relationships with other animals are governed by how we view their capacity for sentience and suffering. However, there is currently little agreement as to whether people's beliefs about animal minds are largely accurate or inaccurate. We used an innovative task to examine how people update their beliefs in response to noisy but informative clues about animal minds. This allowed us to compare participants' posterior beliefs to what a normative participant ought to believe if they conform to Bayes' theorem. Five studies (four pre-registered; n = 2417) found that participants shifted their beliefs too far in response to clues that suggested animals do not have minds (i.e., overshooting what a normative participant ought to believe), but not far enough in response to clues that suggested animals have minds (i.e., falling short of what a normative participant ought to believe). A final study demonstrated that this effect was attenuated when humans were the targets of belief. The findings demonstrate that people underestimate animal minds in a way that can be said to be inaccurate and highlight the role of belief updating in downplaying evidence of animal minds. The findings are discussed in relation to speciesist beliefs about the supremacy of humans over animals.
Collapse
|
6
|
Leach S, Kitchin AP, Sutton RM, Dhont K. Speciesism in everyday language. Br J Soc Psychol 2023; 62:486-502. [PMID: 35906832 PMCID: PMC10086848 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Speciesism, like other forms of prejudice, is thought to be underpinned by biased patterns of language use. Thus far, however, psychological science has primarily focused on how speciesism is reflected in individuals' thoughts as opposed to wider collective systems of meaning such as language. We present a large-scale quantitative test of speciesism by applying machine-learning methods (word embeddings) to billions of English words derived from conversation, film, books, and the Internet. We found evidence of anthropocentric speciesism: words denoting concern (vs. indifference) and value (vs. valueless) were more closely associated with words denoting humans compared to many other animals. We also found evidence of companion animal speciesism: the same words were more closely associated with words denoting companion animals compared to most other animals. The work describes speciesism as a pervasive collective phenomenon that is evident in a naturally occurring expression of human psychology - everyday language.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Leach
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, Kent, UK
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Salmen A, Dhont K. Animalizing women and feminizing (vegan) men: The psychological intersections of sexism, speciesism, meat, and masculinity. Social & Personality Psych 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/spc3.12717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alina Salmen
- School of Psychology University of Kent Canterbury Kent UK
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of Psychology University of Kent Canterbury Kent UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
|
9
|
Leach S, Piazza J, Loughnan S, Sutton RM, Kapantai I, Dhont K, Douglas KM. Unpalatable truths: Commitment to eating meat is associated with strategic ignorance of food-animal minds. Appetite 2022; 171:105935. [PMID: 35045324 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.105935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Animal minds are of central importance to debates about their rights and welfare. Remaining ignorant of evidence that animals have minds is therefore likely to facilitate their mistreatment. Studying samples of adults and students from the UK and US we found that, consistent with motivational perspectives on meat consumption, those who were more (vs. less) committed to eating meat were more motivated to avoid exposure to information about food-animals' sentience (Studies 1), showed less interest in exposure to articles about intelligent food animals (Studies 2a and 2b), and were quicker to terminate exposure to internet pop-ups containing information about food-animals' minds (Studies 3a and 3b). At the same time, those who were more (vs. less) committed to eating meat approached information about companion-animals' minds (Studies 2a-3b) and unintelligent food animals (Studies 2a and 2b) in largely the same ways. The findings demonstrate that, within the UK and US, the desire to eat meat is associated with strategies to avoid information that is likely to challenge meat consumption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jared Piazza
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, UK
| | - Steve Loughnan
- School of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Ioanna Kapantai
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Rosenfeld DL, Balcetis E, Bastian B, Berkman ET, Bosson JK, Brannon TN, Burrow AL, Cameron CD, Chen S, Cook JE, Crandall C, Davidai S, Dhont K, Eastwick PW, Gaither SE, Gangestad SW, Gilovich T, Gray K, Haines EL, Haselton MG, Haslam N, Hodson G, Hogg MA, Hornsey MJ, Huo YJ, Joel S, Kachanoff FJ, Kraft-Todd G, Leary MR, Ledgerwood A, Lee RT, Loughnan S, MacInnis CC, Mann T, Murray DR, Parkinson C, Pérez EO, Pyszczynski T, Ratner K, Rothgerber H, Rounds JD, Schaller M, Silver RC, Spellman BA, Strohminger N, Swim JK, Thoemmes F, Urganci B, Vandello JA, Volz S, Zayas V, Tomiyama AJ. Psychological Science in the Wake of COVID-19: Social, Methodological, and Metascientific Considerations. Perspect Psychol Sci 2021; 17:311-333. [PMID: 34597198 DOI: 10.1177/1745691621999374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has extensively changed the state of psychological science from what research questions psychologists can ask to which methodologies psychologists can use to investigate them. In this article, we offer a perspective on how to optimize new research in the pandemic's wake. Because this pandemic is inherently a social phenomenon-an event that hinges on human-to-human contact-we focus on socially relevant subfields of psychology. We highlight specific psychological phenomena that have likely shifted as a result of the pandemic and discuss theoretical, methodological, and practical considerations of conducting research on these phenomena. After this discussion, we evaluate metascientific issues that have been amplified by the pandemic. We aim to demonstrate how theoretically grounded views on the COVID-19 pandemic can help make psychological science stronger-not weaker-in its wake.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brock Bastian
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
| | - Elliot T Berkman
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon.,Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon
| | | | | | | | - C Daryl Cameron
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University.,Rock Ethics Institute, The Pennsylvania State University
| | - Serena Chen
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kurt Gray
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | | | - Martie G Haselton
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.,Department of Communication, University of California, Los Angeles.,Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Nick Haslam
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
| | | | | | | | - Yuen J Huo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | - Frank J Kachanoff
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | | | - Mark R Leary
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University
| | | | - Randy T Lee
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University
| | - Steve Loughnan
- School of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh
| | | | - Traci Mann
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | | | | | - Efrén O Pérez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.,Department of Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Tom Pyszczynski
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
| | | | | | | | - Mark Schaller
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia
| | - Roxane Cohen Silver
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine.,Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine.,Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine
| | | | - Nina Strohminger
- Department of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.,Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Janet K Swim
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University
| | - Felix Thoemmes
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University.,Department of Psychology, Cornell University
| | | | | | - Sarah Volz
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Makwana AP, Dhont K, García‐Sancho E, Fernández‐Berrocal P. Are emotionally intelligent people less prejudiced? The importance of emotion management skills for outgroup attitudes. J Appl Soc Psychol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jasp.12798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of Psychology Keynes CollegeUniversity of Kent Canterbury UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Leach S, Sutton RM, Dhont K, Douglas KM. When is it wrong to eat animals? The relevance of different animal traits and behaviours. Eur J Soc Psychol 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
13
|
Roets A, Van Hiel A, Dhont K. Is Sexism a Gender Issue? A Motivated Social Cognition Perspective on Men's and Women's Sexist Attitudes toward Own and Other Gender. Eur J Pers 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/per.843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The present research investigated the antecedents of ambivalent sexism (i.e., hostile and benevolent forms) in both men and women toward own and other gender. In two heterogeneous adult samples (Study 1: N = 179 and Study 2: N = 222), it was revealed that gender itself was only a minor predictor of sexist attitudes compared with the substantial impact of individual differences in general motivated cognition (i.e., need for closure). Analyses further showed that the relationship between need for closure and sexism was mediated by social attitudes (i.e., right–wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation), which were differently related to benevolent and hostile forms of sexism. In the discussion, it is argued that sexism primarily stems from individual differences in motivated cognitive style, which relates to peoples‘ perspective on the social world, rather than from group differences between men and women. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arne Roets
- Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Belgium
| | - Alain Van Hiel
- Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Belgium
| | - Kristof Dhont
- Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hodson G, Turner RN, Dhont K. Teaching and learning guide for: The role of individual differences in understanding and enhancing intergroup contact. Soc Personal Psychol Compass 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/spc3.12551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gordon Hodson
- Department of PsychologyBrock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | | | - Kristof Dhont
- School of PsychologyUniversity of Kent Canterbury UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Salmen A, Dhont K. Hostile and benevolent sexism: The differential roles of human supremacy beliefs, women’s connection to nature, and the dehumanization of women. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/1368430220920713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Scholars have long argued that sexism is partly rooted in dominance motives over animals and nature, with women being perceived as more animal-like and more closely connected to nature than men. Yet systematic research investigating these associations is currently lacking. Five studies ( N = 2,409) consistently show that stronger beliefs in human supremacy over animals and nature were related to heightened hostile and benevolent sexism. Furthermore, perceiving women as more closely connected to nature than men was particularly associated with higher benevolent sexism, whereas subtle dehumanization of women was uniquely associated with higher hostile sexism. Blatant dehumanization predicted both types of sexism. Studies 3 and 4 highlight the roles of social dominance orientation and benevolent beliefs about nature underpinning these associations, while Study 5 demonstrates the implications for individuals’ acceptance of rape myths and policies restricting pregnant women’s freedom. Taken together, our findings reveal the psychological connections between gender relations and human–animal relations.
Collapse
|
16
|
Meleady R, Crisp RJ, Dhont K, Hopthrow T, Turner RN. Intergroup contact, social dominance, and environmental concern: A test of the cognitive-liberalization hypothesis. J Pers Soc Psychol 2020; 118:1146-1164. [DOI: 10.1037/pspi0000196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
17
|
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gordon Hodson
- Department of Psychology, Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of Psychology, University of Kent Canterbury UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Abstract
People deeply value their social bonds with companion animals, yet routinely devalue other animals, considering them mere commodities to satisfy human interests and desires. Despite the inherently social and intergroup nature of these complexities, social psychology is long overdue in integrating human-animal relations in its theoretical frameworks. The present body of work brings together social psychological research advancing our understanding of: 1) the factors shaping our perceptions and thinking about animals as social groups, 2) the complexities involved in valuing (caring) and devaluing (exploiting) animals, and 3) the implications and importance of human-animal relations for human intergroup relations. In this article, we survey the diversity of research paradigms and theoretical frameworks developed within the intergroup relations literature that are relevant, perchance critical, to the study of human-animal relations. Furthermore, we highlight how understanding and rethinking human-animal relations will eventually lead to a more comprehensive understanding of many human intergroup phenomena.
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
Issues related to ethnic-cultural diversity often make the news headlines in popular media and have attracted extensive attention in the political arena, as well as in academic research in psychology, political sciences, and sociology. Political scientist Robert Putnam reported that increased diversity is associated with a range of negative outcomes, including less trust, a decreased sense of community, more prejudice, and more cynicism and mistrust toward politics and politicians. Yet given that follow-up studies have often revealed mixed results, a novel approach to understanding the effects of diversity is needed. Here, we address the impact of diversity from a Person × Context interaction perspective, demonstrating that diversity aggravates the negative attitudes that already exist among certain individuals. Specifically, we review the accumulated evidence showing that people high in authoritarian attitudes are particularly sensitive to diversity and prone to react with increased negativity to out-groups, politicians, the political system, and democracy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Van Assche
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University
| | - Arne Roets
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University
| | - Alain Van Hiel
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Earle M, Hodson G, Dhont K, MacInnis C. Eating with our eyes (closed): Effects of visually associating animals with meat on antivegan/vegetarian attitudes and meat consumption willingness. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/1368430219861848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Negative attitudes toward vegetarians/vegans (i.e., veg*ns) are common, particularly among those who desire/like/consume meat more. In two studies, we replicated and extended past work, showing that visual reminders of meat’s animal origins (vs. images of meat alone) decreased meat consumption willingness via increased empathy for animals, distress about meat consumption, and disgust for meat. We also assessed how animal–meat reminders influence antiveg*n attitudes. In Study 1 ( N = 299) experimental animal–meat reminders (vs. meat-alone images) indirectly reduced negative attitudes toward veg*ns via increased empathy and distress (together, but not independently). The same manipulation in Study 2 ( N = 280) lowered antiveg*n attitudes through greater empathy and lowered veg*n threat through greater distress. Implications for promoting less antiveg*n attitudes are discussed.
Collapse
|
21
|
Van Assche J, Dhont K, Pettigrew TF. The social‐psychological bases of far‐right support in Europe and the United States. J Community Appl Soc Psychol 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/casp.2407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Van Assche
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social PsychologyGhent University Ghent Belgium
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of PsychologyUniversity of Kent Canterbury UK
| | - Thomas F. Pettigrew
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California US
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Leite AC, Dhont K, Hodson G. Longitudinal effects of human supremacy beliefs and vegetarianism threat on moral exclusion (vs. inclusion) of animals. Eur J Soc Psychol 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Leite
- Centre for the Study of Group Processes; School of Psychology; University of Kent; Canterbury UK
| | - Kristof Dhont
- Centre for the Study of Group Processes; School of Psychology; University of Kent; Canterbury UK
| | - Gordon Hodson
- Department of Psychology; Brock University; St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Reimer NK, Becker JC, Benz A, Christ O, Dhont K, Klocke U, Neji S, Rychlowska M, Schmid K, Hewstone M. Intergroup Contact and Social Change: Implications of Negative and Positive Contact for Collective Action in Advantaged and Disadvantaged Groups. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 2018; 43:121-136. [PMID: 28903647 DOI: 10.1177/0146167216676478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that (a) positive intergroup contact with an advantaged group can discourage collective action among disadvantaged-group members and (b) positive intergroup contact can encourage advantaged-group members to take action on behalf of disadvantaged outgroups. Two studies investigated the effects of negative as well as positive intergroup contact. Study 1 ( n = 482) found that negative but not positive contact with heterosexual people was associated with sexual-minority students' engagement in collective action (via group identification and perceived discrimination). Among heterosexual students, positive and negative contacts were associated with, respectively, more and less LGB (lesbian, gay, bisexual) activism. Study 2 ( N = 1,469) found that only negative contact (via perceived discrimination) predicted LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) students' collective action intentions longitudinally while only positive contact predicted heterosexual/cisgender students' LGBT activism. Implications for the relationship between intergroup contact, collective action, and social change are discussed.
Collapse
|
24
|
Van Assche J, Van Hiel A, Dhont K, Roets A. Broadening the individual differences lens on party support and voting behavior: Cynicism and prejudice as relevant attitudes referring to modern-day political alignments. Eur J Soc Psychol 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Van Assche
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - Alain Van Hiel
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of Psychology; University of Kent; Canterbury United Kingdom
| | - Arne Roets
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
Abstract. Putnam’s (2007) constrict claim states that ethnic diversity has serious consequences for social cohesion, making people distrustful and leery. The present contribution extends this claim by including political cynicism and trust as side effects of diversity. Moreover, we nuance this claim by considering citizens’ social-ideological attitudes as moderators of diversity effects. Using a Dutch nationally stratified sample (N = 628), we showed that both objective and perceived diversity were associated with more political cynicism and less trust, but only for those high in right-wing attitudes (i.e., social dominance orientation and particularly authoritarianism). Furthermore, only political cynicism was a unique predictor of greater populist party support. Implications for the ongoing debates on the rise in diversity and populist parties are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Van Assche
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology at Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of Psychology at the University of Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Alain Van Hiel
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology at Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Arne Roets
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology at Ghent University, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Van Assche J, Asbrock F, Dhont K, Roets A. The Diversity Challenge for High and Low Authoritarians: Multilevel and Longitudinal Effects Through Intergroup Contact and Threat. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 2018; 44:1163-1179. [PMID: 29628003 DOI: 10.1177/0146167218764653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The current studies integrate different frameworks on the positive and negative consequences of ethnic diversity for intergroup relations. Using a nationally stratified sample of Dutch majority members ( N = 680) from 50 cities in the Netherlands, Study 1 demonstrated that objective diversity was indirectly related to prejudice and to generalized, ingroup, and outgroup trust, through more positive and more negative contact. These indirect effects tended to be stronger for high versus low authoritarians. Furthermore, perceived diversity was indirectly related to less trust and greater prejudice, via more negative contact and threat. Again, these associations were more pronounced among high authoritarians. Study 2, using a representative sample of German majority members ( N = 412) nested within 237 districts, replicated the cross-sectional results regarding objective diversity and prejudice. In addition, longitudinal analyses indicated that objective diversity predicted more positive and more negative contact 2 years later, though only among moderate and high authoritarians.
Collapse
|
27
|
Makwana AP, Dhont K, De keersmaecker J, Akhlaghi-Ghaffarokh P, Masure M, Roets A. The Motivated Cognitive Basis of Transphobia: The Roles of Right-Wing Ideologies and Gender Role Beliefs. Sex Roles 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11199-017-0860-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
28
|
Cichocka A, Dhont K, Makwana AP. On Self-Love and Outgroup Hate: Opposite Effects of Narcissism on Prejudice via Social Dominance Orientation and Right-Wing Authoritarianism. Eur J Pers 2017; 31:366-384. [PMID: 28983151 PMCID: PMC5601291 DOI: 10.1002/per.2114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has obtained mixed findings as to whether feelings of self‐worth are positively or negatively related to right‐wing ideological beliefs and prejudice. We propose to clarify the link between self‐worth and ideology by distinguishing between narcissistic and non‐narcissistic self‐evaluations as well as between different dimensions of ideological attitudes. Four studies, conducted in three different socio‐political contexts: the UK (Study 1, N = 422), the US (Studies 2 and 3, Ns = 471 and 289, respectively), and Poland (Study 4, N = 775), investigated the associations between narcissistic and non‐narcissistic self‐evaluations, social dominance orientation (SDO), right‐wing authoritarianism (RWA), and ethnic prejudice. Confirming our hypotheses, the results consistently showed that after controlling for self‐esteem, narcissistic self‐evaluation was positively associated with SDO (accounting for RWA), yet negatively associated with RWA (accounting for SDO). These associations were similar after controlling for psychopathy and Machiavellianism (Study 3) as well as collective narcissism and Big Five personality characteristics (Study 4). Studies 2–4 additionally demonstrated that narcissistic self‐evaluation was indirectly positively associated with prejudice through higher SDO (free of RWA) but indirectly negatively associated with prejudice through lower RWA (free of SDO). Implications for understanding the role of self‐evaluation in right‐wing ideological attitudes and prejudice are discussed. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of Psychology University of Kent Canterbury UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Kteily NS, Hodson G, Dhont K, Ho AK. Predisposed to prejudice but responsive to intergroup contact? Testing the unique benefits of intergroup contact across different types of individual differences. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/1368430217716750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Recent research demonstrates that intergroup contact effectively reduces prejudice even among prejudice-prone persons. But some assert that evidence regarding the benefits of contact among prejudice-prone individuals is “mixed,” particularly for those higher in social dominance orientation (SDO), one of the field’s most important individual differences. Problematically, person variables are typically considered in isolation despite being intercorrelated, leaving the question of which unique psychological aspects of prejudice proneness (e.g., authoritarianism, antiegalitarianism, cognitive style) are responsive to intergroup contact unresolved. To address this shortcoming, in a large sample of White Americans ( N = 465) we simultaneously examined the contact–attitude association at varying levels of ideological (SDO, right-wing authoritarianism), cognitive style (need for closure), and identity-based (group identification) indicators of prejudice proneness. Examining a broad range of intergroup criterion measures (e.g., racism, support for racial profiling) we reveal that greater contact quality is associated with lower levels of intergroup hostility for those both lower and higher on a variety of indicators of prejudice proneness, simultaneously considered.
Collapse
|
30
|
De keersmaecker J, Roets A, Dhont K, Van Assche J, Onraet E, Van Hiel A. Need for Closure and Perceived Threat as Bases of Right-Wing Authoritarianism: A Longitudinal Moderation Approach. Social Cognition 2017. [DOI: 10.1521/soco.2017.35.4.433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
|
31
|
García-Sancho E, Dhont K, Salguero JM, Fernández-Berrocal P. The personality basis of aggression: The mediating role of anger and the moderating role of emotional intelligence. Scand J Psychol 2017; 58:333-340. [PMID: 28570776 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
High neuroticism and low agreeableness have been found to predict higher levels of aggression through an increase of negative emotions such as anger. However, previous research has only investigated these indirect associations for physical aggression, whereas evidence for such indirect effects on other types of aggression (i.e., verbal or indirect aggression) is currently lacking. Moreover, no previous work has investigated the moderating role of Ability Emotional Intelligence (AEI), which may buffer against the effects of anger on aggression. The present study (N = 665) directly addresses these gaps in the literature. The results demonstrate that high neuroticism and low agreeableness were indirectly related to higher levels of physical, verbal, and indirect aggression via increased chronic accessibility to anger. Importantly however, the associations with physical aggression were significantly weaker for those higher (vs. lower) on AEI, confirming the buffering role of AEI. We discuss the implications of our findings for theoretical frameworks aiming to understand and reduce aggression and violent behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, United Kingdom
| | - José M Salguero
- Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, University of Malaga, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Van Assche J, Roets A, Dhont K, Van Hiel A. The association between actual and perceived ethnic diversity: The moderating role of authoritarianism and implications for outgroup threat, anxiety, and mistrust. Eur J Soc Psychol 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Van Assche
- Ghent University; Department of Developmental Personality and Social Psychology Henri Dunantlaan 2; Ghent Belgium
| | - Arne Roets
- Ghent University; Department of Developmental Personality and Social Psychology Henri Dunantlaan 2; Ghent Belgium
| | - Kristof Dhont
- University of Kent, School of Psychology; Canterbury Kent United Kingdom
| | - Alain Van Hiel
- Ghent University; Department of Developmental Personality and Social Psychology Henri Dunantlaan 2; Ghent Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Dhont K, Hodson G, Leite AC. Common Ideological Roots of Speciesism and Generalized Ethnic Prejudice: The Social Dominance Human–Animal Relations Model (SD–HARM). Eur J Pers 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/per.2069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Recent research and theorizing suggest that desires for group–based dominance underpin biases towards both human outgroups and (non–human) animals. A systematic study of the common ideological roots of human–human and human–animal biases is, however, lacking. Three studies (in Belgium, UK, and USA) tested the Social Dominance Human–Animal Relations Model (SD–HARM) proposing that Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) is a key factor responsible for the significant positive association between ethnic outgroup attitudes and speciesist attitudes towards animals, even after accounting for other ideological variables (that possibly confound previous findings). Confirming our hypotheses, the results consistently demonstrated that SDO, more than right–wing authoritarianism (RWA), is a key factor connecting ethnic prejudice and speciesist attitudes. Furthermore, Studies 2 and 3 showed that both SDO and RWA are significantly related to perceived threat posed by vegetarianism (i.e. ideologies and diets minimizing harm to animals), but with SDO playing a focal role in explaining the positive association between threat perceptions and ethnic prejudice. Study 3 replicated this pattern, additionally including political conservatism in the model, itself a significant correlate of speciesism. Finally, a meta–analytic integration across studies provided robust support for SD–HARM and offers important insights into the psychological parallels between human intergroup and human–animal relations. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ana C. Leite
- Department of Psychology, University of Roehampton, UK
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Meeusen C, Dhont K. Parent–Child Similarity in Common and Specific Components of Prejudice: The Role of Ideological Attitudes and Political Discussion. Eur J Pers 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/per.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Using a representative sample of Belgian adolescents (N = 1530) and both their parents, we investigated the parent–child similarity in prejudice towards different out–groups and ideological attitudes (right–wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation). Contrary to previous studies, first, we distinguished between common and specific components of prejudice to test whether the parent–child similarity in one specific type of prejudice was symptomatic of parent–child similarity in prejudice towards out–groups in general. Second, we evaluated whether the parent–child similarity in common and specific components of prejudice was related to the parent–child similarity in ideological attitudes. Third, we investigated the moderating role of political discussion in the intergenerational framework of ideology and prejudice. Results indicated that parent–child similarity was particularly pronounced for the common rather than the specific component of prejudice and that the similarity in ideological attitudes was partly related to the similarity in the common component of prejudice. Finally, adolescents who discuss social and political issues more (versus less) frequently with their parents more strongly resembled their parents in the common component of prejudice and levels of authoritarianism. These results suggest that generalized prejudice runs in families and highlight politicization of the family as an important socialization mechanism. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cecil Meeusen
- Centre for Sociological Research, University of Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kristof Dhont
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, UK
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Onraet E, Van Hiel A, Dhont K, Hodson G, Schittekatte M, De Pauw S. The Association of Cognitive Ability with Right–Wing Ideological Attitudes and Prejudice: A Meta–Analytic Review. Eur J Pers 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/per.2027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The cognitive functioning of individuals with stronger endorsement of right–wing and prejudiced attitudes has elicited much scholarly interest. Whereas many studies investigated cognitive styles, less attention has been directed towards cognitive ability. Studies investigating the latter topic generally reveal lower cognitive ability to be associated with stronger endorsement of right–wing ideological attitudes and greater prejudice. However, this relationship has remained widely unrecognized in literature. The present meta–analyses revealed an average effect size of r = −. 20 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) [−0.23, −0.17]; based on 67 studies, N = 84 017] for the relationship between cognitive ability and right–wing ideological attitudes and an average effect size of r = −.19 (95% CI [−0.23, −0.16]; based on 23 studies, N = 27 011) for the relationship between cognitive ability and prejudice. Effect sizes did not vary significantly across different cognitive abilities and sample characteristics. The effect strongly depended on the measure used for ideological attitudes and prejudice, with the strongest effect sizes for authoritarianism and ethnocentrism. We conclude that cognitive ability is an important factor in the genesis of ideological attitudes and prejudice and thus should become more central in theorizing and model building. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Onraet
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Alain Van Hiel
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Gordon Hodson
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
| | | | - Sarah De Pauw
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Hodson G, Dhont K. The person-based nature of prejudice: Individual difference predictors of intergroup negativity. European Review of Social Psychology 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/10463283.2015.1070018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
|
37
|
Abstract
Historically, leading scholars proposed a theoretical negative association between cognitive abilities and prejudice. Until recently, however, the field has been relatively silent on this topic, citing concerns with potential confounds (e.g., education levels). Instead, researchers focused on other individual-difference predictors of prejudice, including cognitive style, personality, negativity bias, and threat. Yet there exists a solid empirical paper trail demonstrating that lower cognitive abilities (e.g., abstract-reasoning skills and verbal, nonverbal, and general intelligence) predict greater prejudice. We discuss how the effects of lower cognitive ability on prejudice are explained (i.e., mediated) by greater endorsement of right-wing socially conservative attitudes. We conclude that the field will benefit from a recognition of, and open discussion about, differences in cognitive abilities between those lower versus higher in prejudice. To advance the scientific discussion, we propose the Cognitive Ability and Style to Evaluation model, which outlines the cognitive psychological underpinnings of ideological belief systems and prejudice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristof Dhont
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University
- School of Psychology, University of Kent
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Dhont K, Hodson G, Costello K, MacInnis CC. Social dominance orientation connects prejudicial human–human and human–animal relations. Personality and Individual Differences 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2013.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
39
|
Turner RN, Dhont K, Hewstone M, Prestwich A, Vonofakou C. The Role of Personality Factors in the Reduction of Intergroup Anxiety and Amelioration of Outgroup Attitudes via Intergroup Contact. Eur J Pers 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/per.1927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Two studies investigated the role of personality factors in the amelioration of outgroup attitudes via intergroup contact. In study 1, the effect of extraversion on outgroup attitude operated via an increase in cross–group friendship, whereas openness to experience and agreeableness had a direct effect on outgroup attitude. In study 2, we included intergroup anxiety as a mediator explaining these relationships, and we ruled out ingroup friendship as a potential confound. We found that the relationships between openness to experience and agreeableness on the one hand and outgroup attitude on the other were mediated by reduced intergroup anxiety. In addition, the effect of extraversion on outgroup attitude operated via an increase in cross–group friendship that was in turn associated with lower levels of intergroup anxiety. Across both studies, the friendship–attitude relationship was stronger among those low in agreeableness and extraversion. We discuss the importance of integrating personality and situational approaches to prejudice reduction in optimizing the impact of contact–based interventions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Collapse
|
40
|
Abstract
The interplay between threat and right-wing attitudes has received much research attention, but its longitudinal relationship has hardly been investigated. In this study, we investigated the longitudinal relationships between internal and external threats and right-wing attitudes using a cross-lagged design at three different time points in a large nationally representative sample ( N = 800). We found evidence for bidirectional relationships. Higher levels of external threat were related to higher levels of Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and to both the egalitarianism and dominance dimensions of Social Dominance Orientation at a later point in time. Conversely, higher levels of RWA were also related to increased perception of external threat later in time. Internal threat did not yield significant direct or indirect longitudinal relationships with right-wing attitudes. Theoretical and practical implications of these longitudinal effects are discussed.
Collapse
|
41
|
Dhont K, Van Hiel A, Hewstone M. Changing the ideological roots of prejudice: Longitudinal effects of ethnic intergroup contact on social dominance orientation. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 2013. [DOI: 10.1177/1368430213497064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Social dominance orientation (SDO) has been reported to be strongly related to a multitude of intergroup phenomena, but little is known about situational experiences that may influence SDO. Drawing from research on intergroup contact theory, we argue that positive intergroup contact is able to reduce SDO-levels. The results of an intergroup contact intervention study among high school students (Study 1, N = 71) demonstrated that SDO levels were indeed attenuated after the intervention. Furthermore, this intervention effect on SDO was especially pronounced among students reporting a higher quality of contact. A cross-lagged longitudinal survey among adults (Study 2, N = 363) extended these findings by demonstrating that positive intergroup contact is able to decrease SDO over time. Moreover, we did not obtain evidence for the idea that people high in SDO would engage less in intergroup contact. These findings indicate that intergroup contact erodes one of the important socio-ideological bases of generalized prejudice and discrimination.
Collapse
|
42
|
Abstract
The relationship between right-wing ideological attitudes and psychological well-being has been intensively studied. Although some studies supported the hypothesis that right-wing attitudes are negatively related with well-being, other research yielded positive or nonsignificant relationships. We conducted a meta-analysis (total samples = 97, total N = 69,221) of measures of well-being, including positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and intrinsic goal pursuit. The obtained effect sizes were generally weak and nonsignificant, except for a moderate relationship between intrinsic goal pursuit and social dominance orientation. Our results thus do not support previous theories that claim that right-wing attitudes yield substantial relationships with psychological well-being.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Onraet
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
|
44
|
Abstract
The effect of the intergroup climate on acculturation preferences among host-majority and immigrant group members has been long acknowledged in the acculturation literature. Only recently, however, research has started to directly examine the effect of the intergroup climate on acculturation preferences. In the present research, we aimed to contribute to this new and important line of research by adopting a multilevel approach to examine the effect of the intergroup climate (social context level of analysis) on immigrants’ acculturation preferences (individual level of analysis) over and above individual-level predictors of acculturation preferences. Based on recent cross-sectional survey data from Germany, we examined the acculturation preferences (cultural maintenance and maintenance of intergroup relations) of members of immigrant groups (immigrants from non-Western countries; N individual level = 317) living in different districts in Germany (N district-level = 179). On the social context level, we used the mean prejudice- and acculturation preferences-scores of the German respondents (N = 3,495) as proxies for the intergroup climate within these districts. Results of multilevel path analysis showed that on the context level, a negative intergroup climate (i.e., a higher amount of prejudice of the German respondents within the districts) was related to a stronger desire for cultural maintenance among the immigrants. The potential implications of a hostile intergroup climate for the acculturation process are discussed.
Collapse
|
45
|
Abstract
The high level of political cynicism in contemporary society is often considered a serious threat to democracy. The concept, however, has received only scant attention in psychology. The current work introduces political cynicism and extensively explores its psychological implications by investigating the concept's validity, predictive utility and status as a dispositional variable. Our results revealed that political cynicism is empirically distinguishable from the closely related constructs of social cynicism and political trust. Furthermore, political cynicism was found to strongly related to a wide range of political variables, such as voting intentions, political normlessness and political estrangement, as well as to broad social attitudes and racial prejudice. Finally, we show that political cynicism yields limited but meaningful relationships with Neuroticism and Agreeableness, although social cynicism is more clearly related to the Five–Factor Model personality dimensions. It is therefore concluded that political cynicism can be reliably measured and distinguished from closely related concepts and that it yields meaningful relationships with other relevant psychological variables. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sven Pattyn
- Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Alain Van Hiel
- Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kristof Dhont
- Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Emma Onraet
- Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Dhont K, Van Hiel A. Intergroup contact buffers against the intergenerational transmission of authoritarianism and racial prejudice. Journal of Research in Personality 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2011.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
|
47
|
Dhont K, Van Hiel A, Pattyn S, Onraet E, Severens E. A step into the anarchist's mind: examining political attitudes and ideology through event-related brain potentials. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2012; 7:296-303. [PMID: 21421734 PMCID: PMC3304480 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsr009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2010] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study investigates patterns of event-related brain potentials following the presentation of attitudinal stimuli among political moderates (N=12) and anarchists (N=11). We used a modified oddball paradigm to investigate the evaluative inconsistency effect elicited by stimuli embedded in a sequence of contextual stimuli with an opposite valence. Increased late positive potentials (LPPs) of extreme political attitudes were observed. Moreover, this LPP enhancement was larger among anarchists than among moderates, indicating that an extreme political attitude of a moderate differs from an extreme political attitude of an anarchist. The discussion elaborates on the meaning of attitude extremity for moderates and extremists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristof Dhont
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Franssen V, Dhont K, Hiel AV. Age-Related Differences in Ethnic Prejudice: Evidence of the Mediating Effect of Right-Wing Attitudes. J Community Appl Soc Psychol 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/casp.2109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristof Dhont
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology; Ghent University; Belgium
| | - Alain Van Hiel
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology; Ghent University; Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Abstract
Longitudinal effects of intergroup contact on prejudice were investigated in a sample of 65 young adults (Sample 1) and a sample of their close friends (Sample 2, N= 172), adopting a full cross-lagged panel design. We first validated the self-report measure of intergroup contact from Sample 1 with observer ratings from Sample 2 by demonstrating that self-reports and observer ratings of contact were highly correlated. Moreover, we obtained significant cross-lagged effects of intergroup contact on prejudice with both contact measures, thereby providing a second validation for the use of self-reports of intergroup contact. Finally, by the use of latent change modelling, we demonstrated that, although no overall significant change in contact and prejudice over time was found, there was meaningful variation in absolute change in the individual levels of intergroup contact and prejudice. In particular, some individuals showed increases while others showed decreases in contact or prejudice across time. Moreover, higher levels of intergroup contact at Time 1 were followed by larger subsequent decreases in prejudice between Time 1 and Time 2, and changes in contact were significantly and negatively related to changes in prejudice. Methodological implications of the findings are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristof Dhont
- Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Abstract
Using a representative sample of Dutch adults ( N = 1238), we investigated the moderating influence of direct contact and authoritarianism on the potential of extended contact to reduce prejudice. As expected, direct contact and authoritarianism moderated the effect of extended contact on prejudice. Moreover, the third-order moderation effect was also significant, revealing that extended contact has the strongest effect among high authoritarians with low levels of direct contact. We identified trust and perceived threat as the mediating processes underlying these moderation effects. The present study thus attests to the theoretical and practical relevance of reducing prejudice via extended contact. The discussion focuses on the role of extended contact in relation to direct contact and authoritarianism as well as on the importance of trust in intergroup contexts.
Collapse
|