Religious Ambivalence: Suppression of Pro-Social Attitudes Toward Asylum Seekers by Right-Wing Authoritarianism

Perry, R., Paradies, Y. and Pedersen, A. (2014) Religious Ambivalence: Suppression of Pro-Social Attitudes Toward Asylum Seekers by Right-Wing Authoritarianism. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 25 (3). pp. 230-246.

Abstract

A survey of 168 White Australian community members examined whether ambivalence toward certain social groups by some religious individuals constituted a suppression effect in which authoritarian motivated prejudice suppressed more pro-social attitudes toward asylum seekers. Using mediation analysis, it was found that Christian religious identity was not significantly associated with prejudice at a bivariate level. However, when Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) was taken into account, Christians (compared with non-Christians) were less likely to hold negative attitudes toward asylum seekers in Australia. Inclusion of acculturation ideologies (assimilation, multiculturalism, and color-blindness) in the models indicated that the suppression effect was specific to RWA rather than due to other intergroup attitudes. However, findings suggest that multiculturalism may be one proximal indicator of Christian pro-sociality.

Publication Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation:	School of Psychology and Exercise Science
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis
Copyright:	Taylor and Francis
Notes:	Published online: 14 May 2014
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/27363

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