International Journal of Intercultural Relations
Volume 29, Issue 1, 2005, Pages 1-19

The effects of feeling threatened on attitudes toward immigrants (Article)

Stephan W.G.* , Renfro C.L. , Esses V.M. , Stephan C.W. , Martin T.
  • a Department of Psychology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States, 2097 Aliali Pl., Honolulu, HI 96821, United States
  • b Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
  • c Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont., Canada
  • d Department of Sociology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
  • e Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States

Abstract

Three studies tested the integrated threat theory by examining the causal role that threats play in attitudes toward immigrants. In Study I, students were presented with information about an immigrant group indicating that it posed realistic threats, symbolic threats, both types of threat or no threats to the ingroup. Attitudes toward the immigrant group were most negative when it posed both realistic and symbolic threats to the ingroup. In Study II, information was presented indicating that an immigrant group possessed negative traits, positive traits, or a combination of positive and negative traits. The results indicated that the negative stereotypes led to significantly more negative attitudes toward the immigrant group than the other types of stereotypes. In the third study, group descriptions leading to high levels of intergroup anxiety led to negative attitudes toward foreign exchange students. Empathizing with the foreign exchange students reduced these negative attitudes. The implications of the results of these studies for theory and practice are discussed. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Prejudice Attitudes immigrants empathy Threats

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-20844448719&doi=10.1016%2fj.ijintrel.2005.04.011&partnerID=40&md5=eabdaf8c60e9e0a6f6d686b066d88e51
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2005.04.011
ISSN: 01471767
Cited by: 196
Original Language: English