scholarly journals Is Sexism a Gender Issue? A Motivated Social Cognition Perspective on Men's and Women's Sexist Attitudes toward Own and Other Gender

2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 350-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne Roets ◽  
Alain Van Hiel ◽  
Kristof Dhont
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Ambivalent Sexism ◽  
Need For Closure ◽  
Motivated Cognition ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Sexist Attitudes ◽  
A Minor

The present research investigated the antecedents of ambivalent sexism (i.e., hostile and benevolent forms) in both men and women toward own and other gender. In two heterogeneous adult samples (Study 1: N = 179 and Study 2: N = 222), it was revealed that gender itself was only a minor predictor of sexist attitudes compared with the substantial impact of individual differences in general motivated cognition (i.e., need for closure). Analyses further showed that the relationship between need for closure and sexism was mediated by social attitudes (i.e., right–wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation), which were differently related to benevolent and hostile forms of sexism. In the discussion, it is argued that sexism primarily stems from individual differences in motivated cognitive style, which relates to peoples‘ perspective on the social world, rather than from group differences between men and women. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

scholarly journals Predisposed to prejudice but responsive to intergroup contact? Testing the unique benefits of intergroup contact across different types of individual differences

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nour S. Kteily ◽  
Gordon Hodson ◽  
Kristof Dhont ◽  
Arnold K. Ho
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Style ◽  
Racial Profiling ◽  
Intergroup Contact ◽  
Group Identification ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Need For Closure ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism

Recent research demonstrates that intergroup contact effectively reduces prejudice even among prejudice-prone persons. But some assert that evidence regarding the benefits of contact among prejudice-prone individuals is “mixed,” particularly for those higher in social dominance orientation (SDO), one of the field’s most important individual differences. Problematically, person variables are typically considered in isolation despite being intercorrelated, leaving the question of which unique psychological aspects of prejudice proneness (e.g., authoritarianism, antiegalitarianism, cognitive style) are responsive to intergroup contact unresolved. To address this shortcoming, in a large sample of White Americans ( N = 465) we simultaneously examined the contact–attitude association at varying levels of ideological (SDO, right-wing authoritarianism), cognitive style (need for closure), and identity-based (group identification) indicators of prejudice proneness. Examining a broad range of intergroup criterion measures (e.g., racism, support for racial profiling) we reveal that greater contact quality is associated with lower levels of intergroup hostility for those both lower and higher on a variety of indicators of prejudice proneness, simultaneously considered.

scholarly journals Polyculturalism and Sexist Attitudes

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 519-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Rosenthal ◽  
Sheri R. Levy ◽  
Maria Militano
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Change ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Attitudes Toward Women ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Socially Constructed ◽  
Sexist Attitudes ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
Sexist Beliefs

In cultural contexts in which sexist beliefs are considered traditional, shifts toward gender equality represent an example of cultural change. Polyculturalism is defined as the belief that cultures change constantly through different racial and ethnic groups’ interactions, influences, and exchanges with each other and, therefore, are dynamic and socially constructed rather than static. Thus, polyculturalism may involve openness to cultural change and, thereby, would be expected to be associated with lower sexist attitudes. Four studies (both cross-sectional and longitudinal) with undergraduate and community samples in the Northeastern United States tested whether endorsement of polyculturalism is inversely associated with sexism, above and beyond potentially confounding belief systems. Across studies, for both women and men, endorsement of polyculturalism was associated with lower sexist attitudes for two classes of sexism measures: (a) attitudes toward the rights and roles of women and (b) ambivalent sexist attitudes toward women. Associations remained significant while controlling for potentially confounding variables (colorblindness, conservatism, egalitarianism, gender and ethnic identity, gender and race essentialism, multiculturalism, right-wing authoritarianism, and social dominance orientation). Greater openness to criticizing one’s culture mediated polyculturalism’s association with attitudes toward the rights and roles of women but not with ambivalent sexist attitudes toward women. Studying polyculturalism may provide unique insights into sexism, and more work is needed to understand the mechanisms involved.

scholarly journals What is Violence? The Role of Sexism and Social Dominance Orientation in Recognizing Violence Against Women

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051988852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Rollero ◽  
Elisa Bergagna ◽  
Stefano Tartaglia
Keyword(s):  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Social Dominance ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Gender Role Attitudes ◽  
Ambivalent Sexism ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Sexist Attitudes

Violence against women represents a global public health issue of epidemic proportions, as well as a gross violation of women’s human rights. It can take many forms, such as physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse, and controlling behaviors. The purpose of the study was to extend past research on recognition of violence against women within the framework of the ambivalent sexism theory and the social dominance orientation (SDO) theory. Specifically, we investigated the following: (a) to what extent different behaviors potentially harming women are recognized as a form of violence, and (b) whether gender, SDO, and sexist attitudes influence such recognition. Participants were 264 University students (43.1% males, M age = 23.09 years). They were asked to rate the extent to which several behaviors constituted violence against women. Participants’ sexism was assessed by the short version of the Ambivalent Sexism (ASI) and Ambivalence toward Men Inventory (AMI) scales and the SDO by the SDO Italian scale. Through a factor analysis, we individuated three different groups of behaviors harming women: Physical violence, unequivocally recognized as a form of violence; Limitation of freedom, containing behaviors restraining women’s action; and emotional abuse, encompassing verbally and emotionally aggressive behaviors. We tested the relations between variables through a structural equation model, finding that SDO and sexism had a direct effect on the recognition of violence, whereas the influence of gender was mediated by SDO and sexist attitudes. Thus, not gender per se, but gender-role attitudes that seem to affect recognition of some behaviors as a form of violence against women. Implications are discussed.

scholarly journals The COVID-19 Pandemic, Authoritarianism and Rejection of Sexual Dissenters in Poland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Golec ◽  
Kinga Bierwiaczonek ◽  
Tomasz Baran ◽  
Oliver Keenan ◽  
Adrian Hase
Keyword(s):  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Ambivalent Sexism ◽  
Sexual Prejudice ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Latent Growth ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Political Conservatism ◽  
Curve Modeling ◽  
National Survival

Results of a three-wave longitudinal study conducted in the first four weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland (N = 889) indicate that right wing-authoritarianism increased as the pandemic unfolded, predicting significant growth in national cohesion and in the belief that non-traditional women and sexual minorities threaten the national survival. Latent growth curve modeling indicated linear, inter-related increases in those variables (but not in self-reported political conservatism, social dominance orientation, ambivalent sexism or outgroup hostility) across the three waves. Cross-lagged panel analysis supported the predicted directionality of the relationships. The results are in line with terror management theory predicting that self-continuity concerns increased under mortality salience should motivate investment in cohesive groups and rejection of those dissenters who threaten the prospects of national survival. The results are also in line with findings that the threat of infectious disease increases conformity and ingroup cohesion and sexual prejudice.

Examining dispositional and situational effects on outgroup attitudes

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joke Meeus ◽  
Bart Duriez ◽  
Norbert Vanbeselaere ◽  
Karen Phalet ◽  
Peter Kuppens
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Intergroup Relations ◽  
Social Dominance ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Situational Characteristics ◽  
Situational Effects ◽  
Ingroup Identification ◽  
The Individual

Two research lines have dominated the quest for the antecedents of outgroup attitudes. Whereas the first has viewed outgroup attitudes as a result of individual differences, the second stressed the importance of the intergroup situation. In order to investigate the interplay of individual differences and situational characteristics, key predictors of the individual differences perspective (i.e. right‐wing authoritarianism or RWA, and social dominance orientation or SDO) and the intergroup relations perspective (i.e. ingroup identification and ingroup threat) were simultaneously tested. Two studies revealed additive but no interaction effects of RWA and SDO, ingroup identification and threat. Additionally, Study 1 showed that threat effects remain limited to the outgroup that is portrayed as threatening and do not generalize to other outgroups. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

scholarly journals The Differential Psychology of Environmental Protection/Exploitation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taciano L Milfont
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Time Perspective ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Self Transcendence

Differential psychology focuses on how people vary in the way they think, feel and act by measuring differences that distinguish individuals as more similar to themselves over time and across situations than others. In this article I review and discuss available evidence on key individual differences associated with protection and exploitation of the natural environment. The discussion centers on personality traits, basic human values, time perspective and system-justifying ideological orientations. Greater environmental protection has been shown to be consistently related to higher levels of Openness to Experience and Agreeableness traits (and somewhat Honesty-Humility), Self-Transcendence and Openness to Change values, and future thinking. In contrast, greater environmental exploitation is consistently related to higher levels of conservative political orientation, Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO). Research examining individual differences provides useful theoretical information that can have applied benefits in designing communication strategies to bring individuals less prone to protect the natural environment on board. Issues with jangle fallacy (measures with different names might not necessarily assess different things) and direction for future research are also discussed.

Motivated Social Cognition and Authoritarianism

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 204-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias Berggren ◽  
Nazar Akrami ◽  
Robin Bergh ◽  
Bo Ekehammar
Keyword(s):  
Social Cognition ◽  
Social Dominance ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Cognitive Styles ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Social Attitudes ◽  
Need For Closure ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Motivated Social Cognition

Abstract. The domain of motivated social cognition includes a variety of concepts dealing with a need to seek structure and avoid ambiguity, and several of these concepts are also powerful predictors of social attitudes, such as authoritarianism. It is possible though that these relations are due to certain facets reoccurring in the different scales. In this paper, we tested the notion that authoritarianism is predicted specifically by rigidity in beliefs (closed-mindedness), rather than broader cognitive styles. Thus, we initially identified items in the motivated social cognition scales that are specifically measuring closed-mindedness. These items included the closed-mindedness facet of the need for closure scale and items from intolerance of ambiguity and need for cognition. We used these items to predict right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and their common factor authoritarianism (generalized). In line with our prediction, two studies showed that the motivated social cognition scales did not provide a significant prediction of authoritarianism beyond the closed-mindedness items. We conclude that the relation between motivated social cognition and authoritarianism is captured entirely by the former’s closed-mindedness component.

Adaptation of the Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance Scale to Portuguese and Tests of Its Convergent, Divergent, and Predictive Validities

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (14) ◽  
pp. 1790-1810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Christophe Giger ◽  
Gabriela Gonçalves ◽  
Ana Susana Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Ambivalent Sexism ◽  
Victim Blame ◽  
Physical Assault ◽  
Fit Indices ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Acceptance Scale ◽  
Myth Acceptance

The Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance Scale was adapted to Portuguese (PDVMAS). The PDVMAS displayed reasonable fit indices (Study 1); was positively correlated with right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, belief in a just world (Study 2), and ambivalent sexism (Study 3); and negatively correlated with empathetic tendencies (Study 4). PDVMAS significantly predicted victim blame and aggressor exoneration in scenarios of coercion (Study 5) and physical assault (Study 6). Victims and non-victims of domestic violence equally endorsed domestic violence myths. Globally, the PDVMAS is a reliable instrument, and domestic violence myths are pervasive and alter the perception of intimate partner violence.

The Structure and Sources of Right–wing Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Kandler ◽  
Edward Bell ◽  
Rainer Riemann
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Social Dominance ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Error Variance ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Genetic And Environmental Factors ◽  
Genetic Contributions ◽  
Peer Reports

Right–wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) are widely used constructs in research on social and political attitudes. This study examined their hierarchical and correlative structure (across sexes, generations and rater perspectives), as well as how genetic and environmental factors may contribute to individual differences in them (using different rater perspectives and nuclear twin family data). We found a substantive common aspect (beyond shared artificial variance arising from socially desirable responding) underlying both RWA and SDO: aggression against subordinate groups. We discussed how this aspect could help to explain the commonly reported correlation between the two concepts in Western countries. Estimates of genetic and environmental components in RWA and SDO based on self–reports were quite comparable with those based on peer reports. When controlling for error variance and taking assortative mating into account, individual differences in RWA were primarily due to genetic contributions including genotype–environment correlation, whereas variance in SDO was largely attributable to environmental sources shared and not shared by twins. The findings are discussed in terms of the utility of RWA and SDO as basic constructs to describe individual differences in social attitudes and with respect to the different patterns of genetic and environmental influences that underlie them. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology

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