Prejudice and Feeling of Threat towards Syrian Refugees: The Moderating Effects of Precarious Employment and Perceived Low Outgroup Morality

Abstract

Refugees frequently experience traumatic situations that result in the deterioration of their psychological well-being. In addition, perceived prejudice and discrimination against them by the host society can worsen their mental health. In this research study, using a Spanish sample, prejudice towards Syrian refugees is analyzed taking into account feeling of threat (realistic or symbolic), precarious employment, and perceived outgroup morality. Using a total of 365 participants, our results reveal that individuals feel more prejudice towards refugees when the former scored higher in realistic threat and symbolic threat, were in a highly precarious situation of employment and perceived refugees as being more immoral. Furthermore, it was found that persons who scored high in realistic threat and at the same time were in a situation of precarious employment, were those who displayed greater prejudice. The results likewise pointed to individuals who scored high in symbolic threat and in outgroup morality as being those who felt greater rejection towards the refugees. Accordingly, our results confirm the importance of feeling of threat in relation to prejudice, and highlight two important moderating factors: precarious employment and perceived outgroup morality.

Public attitudes about integration and citizenship for refugees: Evidence from Turkey

“…About 79% of our respondents perceive of refugees as at least one type of threat, either individually or collectively. This finding is broadly consistent with existing research on the prominence and negative consequences of threat perceptions related to migration (e.g., Hagendoorn, 1995;Hatab, 2020;McKay et al, 2017;Meidert & Rapp, 2019;Riek et al, 2006;Vallejo-Martín et al, 2020) and integrated threat theory in general (Sniderman & Hagendoorn, 2007;Stephan & Stephan, 2000;Stephan et al, 2005;von Hermanni & Neumann, 2019). From our interviews, it is clear that examining the bases of these threat perceptions in detail is important both to understand the foundations and drivers of negative attitudes concerning integration and citizenship for refugees, and ultimately to better inform the design of policy interventions aiming to reduce those perceptions and support more inclusionary attitudes.…”

“…While both are symbolic in nature, cultural threat perceptions are based on whether and how well Syrian refugees adopt Turkish cultural values, familiarize themselves with Turkish traditions, and take on Turkish ways of living. Moral threat, on the other hand, has to do with the degree to which Syrian refugees are viewed as trustworthy, honest, and reliable as a people, and the extent to which their behaviors conform with or deviate from shared moral codes and ethical principles, particularly regarding marriage and family values (Vallejo‐Martín et al, 2020). Overall, 41% of our respondents were concerned about a moral decay in Turkish society for which they hold refugees partially responsible.…”

Indonesian Students’ Prejudice Against Homosexuals: Religious Fundamentalism and Intergroup Threat as Predictors

“…In addition to that, religious fundamentalism, which represents personal antecedents of prejudice, is often associated with personal antecedents as well, such as social dominance orientation (Yafie, Solicha, & Syahid, 2020), right-wing authoritarianism (Pal & Sinha, 2016), or religiosity (Arli, Badejo, & Sutanto, 2019). Meanwhile, research about intergroup threats (social antecedents) and prejudice mostly discusses the context of religion, ethnicity, immigrants, or refugees (Aberson, Ferguson, & Allen, 2021;Adira & Halida, 2021;Ekerim-Akbulut et al, 2020;Makashvili, Vardanashvili, & Javakhishvili, 2018;Nassar, 2020;Nshom & Croucher, 2017;Vallejo-Martín et al, 2020).…”