title: When affective (but not cognitive) ambivalence predicts discrimination toward a minority group.
abstract: Individuals often hold ambivalent attitudes (i.e., positive and negative attitudes at the same time) toward groups and social categories. The aim of the present research was to examine the differential effects of affective and cognitive dimensions of ambivalence on the (amplification of) responses towards a minority group. We asked 188 students from the University of Perugia to read a short description of a fictitious group of immigrants. After expressing their affective and cognitive attitudes toward the target group, participants received positive, negative, or no supplementary information about this group. Discrimination was assessed by asking participants to allocate to the target group a percentage of a financial support fund for poor people (both Italian and immigrant) living in their regional area. As expected, we found that only affective ambivalence amplified either negative or positive responses toward the group.
authors: University of Perugia, Dipartimento Istituzioni e Società, Via Elce di Sotto, 06123 Perugia, Italy. gpacilli@unipg.it
authors: Maria Giuseppina
authors: MG
authors: Pacilli
authors: Angelica
authors: A
authors: Mucchi-Faina
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Pagliaro
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Mirisola
authors: Francesca Romana
authors: FR
authors: Alparone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001290:Attitude; D003071:Cognition; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology*; D013240:Stereotyping; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult