1. The Effect of Value Violations on Prejudice Toward Muslims1
The Effect of Value Violations on Prejudice Toward Muslims
Amanda R. Van Camp1, Aaron J. Moss1, Laurie T. O’Brien1, & Alison Blodorn2
1Tulane University, 2University of California Santa Barbara
Introduction
Results
Test of Mediation
Shared values are an important factor in determining attitudes toward outgroups (Rockeach, 1972).
Past research has shown that people tend to judge individuals who violate specific values more harshly than individuals who support specific values (Biernat, Vescio, & Theno, 1996).
Most research on value violation and support tested the role of race in understanding participants’ attitudes towards outgroups (Sniderman, Piazza, Tetlock, & Kendrick, 1991).
However, the present research examined individual perceptions of different religious groups and their support for important values: gender equality and hard work (Study 1).
Next, we examined whether manipulating perceptions of Muslim support for gender equality would affect prejudice toward Muslims (Study 2).
Participants
Study 1: 136 (88 F, 47 M) Ps
Study 2: 191 (116 F, 71 M, 1 other) Ps
Procedure
Study 1: Ps provided their perceptions of Muslims and Christians on two separate values: Whether or not they valued gender equality and whether or not they valued hard work.
Study 2: Ps participated in an intervention to increase perceptions of gender equality among Muslims.
Manipulation: Ps read an article that indicated whether Muslims valued gender equality relative to other religious groups or not.
Next, Ps completed the dependent measures.
Key Dependent Measures
Study 1: Ps indicated the extent to which they believed different religious groups valued gender equality and hard work (0-6).
Study 1 and Study 2: Ps indicated their prejudice level toward different religious groups (0-6).
Prejudice was measured with:
Anti-Muslim Prejudice:
E.g., “Islam is radical and intolerant” (α = .92).
Social Distance Measure:
E.g., “I try to keep my distance from Muslims” (α = .94).
Study 1
Islamophobia
Muslims Value Hard Work
Muslims Value Gender Equality
Christian Preference
----
-.27**
-.15
.54**
.005
-.23**
We reasoned that the effect of value condition on the extent to which Ps expressed prejudice toward Muslims should be mediated by shared values.
Using Hayes’s PROCESS (Model 4) to test this model, the Confidence Interval (95%) did not include 0.
Depending on the intervention condition, Ps perceived more shared values with Muslims, and as a result were less likely to report prejudice toward Muslims.
Manipulating perceptions of Muslims values of gender equality, affected Ps’ prejudice toward Muslims.
In Study 1, Ps perceived Muslims as less supportive of gender equality than Christians. In addition, perceptions of Muslim support for gender equality was negatively related to prejudice towards Muslims.
In Study 2, following a manipulation of perceptions of Muslim support for gender equality, Ps reported less prejudiced attitudes toward Muslims.
The present findings suggest that value violations may help to explain prejudice toward different groups. 1 1
Study 2
** Correlation is significant at .01 level.
Key findings:
The extent to which Ps prefer Christians is positively related to whether or not they think Muslims value gender equality.
The extent to which Ps prefer Christians is not related to whether or not they think Muslims value hard work.
Shared Values
b = .53*
b = -.32**
Method
Value Condition
Muslim Prejudice
b = -.28**
Indirect effect = .17
Interaction: F(2, 132) = 83.81, p < .001
Study 2
Value Violation
No Violation
Dependent Variable
Mean SD
Jews Value Gender
4.83
.934
4.69
1.15
Muslims Value Gender
2.43
1.45
4.00
1.73
Christians Value Gender
4.72
1.06
4.63
1.23
CI [.03, .34]
Discussion
Please address correspondence to:
Amanda R. Van Camp;
F(1, 189) = 9.34, p < .01, d = F(1, 189) = 4.72, p < .05, d = .31