title: Exploring the relationships between fear-related xenophobia, perceptions of out-group entitativity, and social contact in Norway.
abstract: An internet-related survey distributed to Norwegian students explored predictors of fear-related xenophobia toward immigrants. Specifically, this study examined a new social construct called "entitativity" (i.e., the extent to which out-group members are perceived as bonded together in a cohesive or organized unit), as well as frequency of informal social contact and valence of a recent encounter in relation to certain xenophobic attitudes. Correlational and multiple regression analyses indicated that perceived out-group entitativity was a moderate predictor of fear-related xenophobia. Voluntary informal contact was a weak predictor of fear-related xenophobia, whereas negative evaluation of an encounter in the recent past was a strong predictor. Further analysis indicated that the effect of entitativity on xenophobia was strongest when informal social contact was low. Moreover, analysis indicated that the effect of valenced contact was partly mediated through perception of entitativity.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1094 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway. Reidar.ommundsen@psykologi.uio.no
authors: Reidar
authors: R
authors: Ommundsen
authors: Kees
authors: K
authors: Van der Veer
authors: Oksana
authors: O
authors: Yakushko
authors: Pål
authors: P
authors: Ulleberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology*; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult