Social Behavior and Personality
Volume 43, Issue 10, 2015, Pages 1641-1656

Australian attitudes toward asylum seekers: Roles of dehumanization and social dominance theory (Article)

Trounson J.S.* , Critchley C. , Pfeifer J.E.
  • a Department of Psychological Sciences and Statistics, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
  • b Department of Psychological Sciences and Statistics, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
  • c Department of Psychological Sciences and Statistics, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia

Abstract

We employed a theoretical model of dehumanization to identify the factors influencing attitudes toward asylum seekers within an Australian context. Specifically, we hypothesized that Australians high in social dominance orientation (SDO) would be more likely than those low in SDO to dehumanize asylum seekers. Participants (N = 311) completed an online survey designed to assess SDO, their attitudes and emotions toward asylum seekers, and their tendency to engage in dehumanization. Results indicated that the model can be successfully applied to an Australian context and that dehumanization played a significant role in influencing our participants’ attitudes toward asylum seekers. Findings are discussed in terms of future research as well as policy implications for Australian immigration issues. © Society for Personality Research.

Author Keywords

Australia Public opinion human rights discrimination dehumanization Social dominance Asylum seeker Public beliefs Refugee

Index Keywords

model human major clinical study Australian social dominance dehumanization asylum seeker immigration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84963860904&doi=10.2224%2fsbp.2015.43.10.1641&partnerID=40&md5=e5ac5bdd908b57d735e343b883063f5b
DOI: 10.2224/sbp.2015.43.10.1641
ISSN: 03012212
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English