Level and change of group-focused enmity in Germany: unconditional and conditional latent growth curve models with four panel waves

Abstract

In this study we investigate and explain the level and change of six elements of group-focused enmity (GFE; see Zick et al. 2008) in Germany between 2002 and 2006: racism, xenophobia, antiSemitism, homophobia, exclusion of homeless people and support for rights of the established. For the data analysis, a representative 4-year panel study of the adult non-immigrant German population collected during the years 2002-2006 is used, and the development of each GFE component is tested by using an unconditional second-order latent growth curve model (LGM) (with full information maximum likelihood, FIML). We find that the level of 5 of the 6 components (racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia, exclusion of homeless people) displays an increase at the beginning of the observed period followed by a decrease. However, the sixth aspect, rights of the established, displays a continuous linear increase over time. The different developmental pattern stands in contrast to Allport's hypothesis (1954) for the strong link between the components and their development over time. We try to explain this different developmental pattern by several sociodemographic characteristics. This is performed by using a conditional second-order latent growth curve model. This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in the journal AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis 2011 95(4):481-500 following peer review. It was first published online in this journal on October 18, 2011. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at: between the components and their development over time. We try to explain this different developmental pattern by several sociodemographic characteristics. This is performed by using a conditional second-order latent growth curve model.

Understanding the devaluation of vulnerable groups: A novel application of Institutional Anomie Theory

“…In the ten year-project employing large probability samples of the German population (Zick et al, 2008) the pattern of generalized prejudices has been repeatedly shown empirically (e.g. Davidov et al, 2010). In a cultural comparison study for eight European countries, the researchers found empirical support for the generalized syndrome of GFE as a second-order factor in all examined countries (Zick et al, 2011).…”

The Effect of Contextual Factors on the Association between Different Forms of Prejudice: A Cross-National Approach on Generalized Prejudice

“…Specific forms of prejudice, however, cannot entirely be described as a general prejudiced or authoritarian personality structure. Next to a general component, important outgroupspecific variance still remains unexplained (Akrami et al, 2011;Davidov, Thörner, Schmidt, Gosen, & Wolf, 2011). In this paper, we argue that including contextual factors in the model of generalized prejudice can offer additional explanatory power.…”

Anomie, marketization, and prejudice toward purportedly unprofitable groups

“…Besides finding support for a second order-factor for several prejudice elements (the latent variable 'GFE'), the analyses demonstrated the common core of the syndrome by showing its stability over time and by analysing its causes and consequences (e.g. Davidov et al, 2011). In a cultural comparison study for eight European countries, the researchers found empirical support for the generalized syndrome of GFE as a second-order factor in all examined countries (Zick et al, 2011).…”