Threat perceptions, blame attribution, and political trust

In this paper we report results from an online study conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020). The study examined a range of social and behavioural responses by youth from different ethnic backgrounds and across 63 cities (N = 569). More specifically, the study focused on investigating the relationship between threat perceptions, public health behaviours, stress and social cohesion. As expected, results indicate that higher perceptions of threat were related to higher compliance to safety and health measures despite extremely extremely low levels of political trust. Surprisingly, participants reported relatively low levels of stress despite high social isolation and physical restrictions. These results could partially be explained by an increased level of family interactions. Furthermore, participants reported relatively high levels of social cohesion and common-ingroup identification in a usually segregated and conflict-ridden context.

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Processing of Social Identity Threats

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000133 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 44 (6) ◽

pp. 361-372 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Natascha de Hoog

Keyword(s):

Social Identity ◽

Social Identification ◽

Negative Group ◽

Identity Threat ◽

Neutral Group ◽

Threat Perceptions ◽

Social Identity Threat ◽

Identity Threats ◽

Group Information ◽

Source Study

The underlying process of reactions to social identity threat was examined from a defense motivation perspective. Two studies measured respondents’ social identification, after which they read threatening group information. Study 1 compared positive and negative group information, attributed to an ingroup or outgroup source. Study 2 compared negative and neutral group information to general negative information. It was expected that negative group information would induce defense motivation, which reveals itself in biased information processing and in turn affects the evaluation of the information. High identifiers should pay more attention to, have higher threat perceptions of, more defensive thoughts of, and more negative evaluations of negative group information than positive or neutral group information. Findings generally supported these predictions.

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Benefit of the doubt: The role of participant ethnicity and ideologies in economic threat perceptions of Mexican immigrants

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e578192014-526 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob S. Brookfield ◽

Sei Jin Ko ◽

David M. Marx ◽

Thierry Devos

Keyword(s):

Mexican Immigrants ◽

Threat Perceptions ◽

Economic Threat

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We all look harmless and they all look threatening: Contrast and assimilation effects for in-group and out-group threat perceptions

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e633962013-933 ◽

2006 ◽

Author(s):

Jenessa R. Shapiro ◽

Joshua M. Ackerman ◽

Steven L. Neuberg ◽

Douglas T. Kenrick

Keyword(s):

Group Threat ◽

Threat Perceptions

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Threat Perceptions Scale

PsycTESTS Dataset ◽

10.1037/t09410-000 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

Maria Kraimer ◽

Sandy J. Wayne ◽

Robert C. Liden ◽

Raymond T. Sparrowe

Keyword(s):

Threat Perceptions

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Asymmetrical Attribution of Performance in China

Asian Survey ◽

10.1525/as.2020.60.5.978 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (5) ◽

pp. 978-1003

Author(s):

Jacqueline Chen Chen ◽

Jun Xiang

Keyword(s):

Economic Development ◽

Local Governments ◽

Central Government ◽

Cultural Theory ◽

Political Trust ◽

Mediation Model ◽

Multilevel Mediation ◽

Dual Pathway ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

The Impact

Existing studies of the impact of economic development on political trust in China have two major gaps: they fail to explain how economic development contributes to the hierarchical trust pattern, and they do not pay enough attention to the underlying mechanisms. In light of cultural theory and political control theory, we propose adapting performance theory into a theory of “asymmetrical attribution of performance” to better illuminate the case of China. This adapted theory leads to dual pathway theses: expectation fulfillment and local blaming. Using a multilevel mediation model, we show that expectation fulfillment mainly upholds trust in the central government, whereas local blaming undermines trust in local governments. We also uncover a rural–urban distinction in the dual pathway, revealing that both theses are more salient among rural Chinese.

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Feeling Threatened by Immigrants: The Role of Ideology and Subjective Societal Status

10.31234/osf.io/6dw4y ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Michael Bollwerk ◽

Bernd Schlipphak ◽

Joscha Stecker ◽

Jens Hellmann ◽

Gerald Echterhoff ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Middle Eastern ◽

Social Dominance Orientation ◽

Survey Study ◽

Future Research ◽

Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽

Threat Perceptions ◽

Contextual Determinants ◽

Intergroup Conflicts ◽

And Gender

Threat perceptions towards immigrants continue to gain importance in the context of growing international migration. To reduce associated intergroup conflicts, it is crucial to understand the personal and contextual determinants of perceived threat. In a large online survey study (N = 1,184), we investigated the effects of ideology (i.e., Right-Wing Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation), subjective societal status (SSS) and their interaction effects in predicting symbolic and realistic threat perceptions towards Middle Eastern immigrants. Results showed that ideology (higher RWA and SDO) and lower SSS significantly predicted both symbolic and realistic threat, even after controlling for income, education, age, and gender. Furthermore, ideology and SSS interacted significantly in predicting realistic threat, with higher levels of SDO and RWA enhancing the effect of SSS. In the discussion, we focus on the implications of our findings with respect to understanding societal conflicts, discuss methodological limitations, and provide directions for future research.

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