Side effects of multiculturalism: the interaction effect of a multicultural ideology and authoritarianism on prejudice and diversity beliefs.
We studied the influence of right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) on the relationship between a multicultural ideology and attitudes about ethnic diversity and immigrants. We hypothesized that a multicultural ideology poses a threat to authoritarian individuals, which leads to a decrease in positive diversity beliefs and an increase in prejudice toward immigrants. On the basis of representative survey-data from 23 European countries, we showed that the negative relationship between RWA and positive diversity beliefs was stronger the more a country engages in multiculturalism (Study 1). In addition, in two experiments we demonstrated that RWA moderated the relationship between a video promoting multiculturalism (Study 2) or a picture showing a multicultural group (Study 3) and attitudes toward immigrants and diversity. As expected, for high-RWAs, both stimuli led to an increase in prejudice. In Study 3, perceived threat mediated the relationship between a multicultural norm and prejudice for people high in RWA.
Department of Psychology, Philipps University Marburg, Gutenbergstraße 18, 35032 Marburg, Germany. kauffm@uni-marburg.de
Mathias
M
Kauff
Frank
F
Asbrock
Stefan
S
Thörner
Ulrich
U
Wagner
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001318:Authoritarianism; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011057:Politics; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult