Ecological and cultural factors underlying the global distribution of prejudice.

Prejudiced attitudes and political nationalism vary widely around the world, but there has been little research on what predicts this variation. Here we examine the ecological and cultural factors underlying the worldwide distribution of prejudice. We suggest that cultures grow more prejudiced when...

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Main Authors: Joshua Conrad Jackson, Marieke van Egmond, Virginia K Choi, Carol R Ember, Jamin Halberstadt, Jovana Balanovic, Inger N Basker, Klaus Boehnke, Noemi Buki, Ronald Fischer, Marta Fulop, Ashley Fulmer, Astrid C Homan, Gerben A van Kleef, Loes Kreemers, Vidar Schei, Erna Szabo, Colleen Ward, Michele J Gelfand
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221953
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author Joshua Conrad Jackson
Marieke van Egmond
Virginia K Choi
Carol R Ember
Jamin Halberstadt
Jovana Balanovic
Inger N Basker
Klaus Boehnke
Noemi Buki
Ronald Fischer
Marta Fulop
Ashley Fulmer
Astrid C Homan
Gerben A van Kleef
Loes Kreemers
Vidar Schei
Erna Szabo
Colleen Ward
Michele J Gelfand
author_facet Joshua Conrad Jackson
Marieke van Egmond
Virginia K Choi
Carol R Ember
Jamin Halberstadt
Jovana Balanovic
Inger N Basker
Klaus Boehnke
Noemi Buki
Ronald Fischer
Marta Fulop
Ashley Fulmer
Astrid C Homan
Gerben A van Kleef
Loes Kreemers
Vidar Schei
Erna Szabo
Colleen Ward
Michele J Gelfand
author_sort Joshua Conrad Jackson
collection DOAJ
description Prejudiced attitudes and political nationalism vary widely around the world, but there has been little research on what predicts this variation. Here we examine the ecological and cultural factors underlying the worldwide distribution of prejudice. We suggest that cultures grow more prejudiced when they tighten cultural norms in response to destabilizing ecological threats. A set of seven archival analyses, surveys, and experiments (∑N = 3,986,402) find that nations, American states, and pre-industrial societies with tighter cultural norms show the most prejudice based on skin color, religion, nationality, and sexuality, and that tightness predicts why prejudice is often highest in areas of the world with histories of ecological threat. People's support for cultural tightness also mediates the link between perceived ecological threat and intentions to vote for nationalist politicians. Results replicate when controlling for economic development, inequality, conservatism, residential mobility, and shared cultural heritage. These findings offer a cultural evolutionary perspective on prejudice, with implications for immigration, intercultural conflict, and radicalization.
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spelling doaj.art-e43f5ee0feb443108836becdab13e1762022-12-21T19:29:34ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032019-01-01149e022195310.1371/journal.pone.0221953Ecological and cultural factors underlying the global distribution of prejudice.Joshua Conrad JacksonMarieke van EgmondVirginia K ChoiCarol R EmberJamin HalberstadtJovana BalanovicInger N BaskerKlaus BoehnkeNoemi BukiRonald FischerMarta FulopAshley FulmerAstrid C HomanGerben A van KleefLoes KreemersVidar ScheiErna SzaboColleen WardMichele J GelfandPrejudiced attitudes and political nationalism vary widely around the world, but there has been little research on what predicts this variation. Here we examine the ecological and cultural factors underlying the worldwide distribution of prejudice. We suggest that cultures grow more prejudiced when they tighten cultural norms in response to destabilizing ecological threats. A set of seven archival analyses, surveys, and experiments (∑N = 3,986,402) find that nations, American states, and pre-industrial societies with tighter cultural norms show the most prejudice based on skin color, religion, nationality, and sexuality, and that tightness predicts why prejudice is often highest in areas of the world with histories of ecological threat. People's support for cultural tightness also mediates the link between perceived ecological threat and intentions to vote for nationalist politicians. Results replicate when controlling for economic development, inequality, conservatism, residential mobility, and shared cultural heritage. These findings offer a cultural evolutionary perspective on prejudice, with implications for immigration, intercultural conflict, and radicalization.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221953
spellingShingle Joshua Conrad Jackson
Marieke van Egmond
Virginia K Choi
Carol R Ember
Jamin Halberstadt
Jovana Balanovic
Inger N Basker
Klaus Boehnke
Noemi Buki
Ronald Fischer
Marta Fulop
Ashley Fulmer
Astrid C Homan
Gerben A van Kleef
Loes Kreemers
Vidar Schei
Erna Szabo
Colleen Ward
Michele J Gelfand
Ecological and cultural factors underlying the global distribution of prejudice.
PLoS ONE
title Ecological and cultural factors underlying the global distribution of prejudice.
title_full Ecological and cultural factors underlying the global distribution of prejudice.
title_fullStr Ecological and cultural factors underlying the global distribution of prejudice.
title_full_unstemmed Ecological and cultural factors underlying the global distribution of prejudice.
title_short Ecological and cultural factors underlying the global distribution of prejudice.
title_sort ecological and cultural factors underlying the global distribution of prejudice
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221953
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