A Social Identity Threat Perspective on Why Partisans May Engage in Greater Victim Blaming and Sexual Assault Myth Acceptance in the #MeToo Era

2021 ◽  
pp. 107780122110145
Author(s):  
Rebecca R. Ortiz ◽  
Andrea M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Political Party ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Victim Blaming ◽  
Identity Threat ◽  
Social Identity Threat ◽  
Myth Acceptance

This study examined how U.S. partisans ( N = 1,154) may engage in greater victim blaming and sexual assault myth acceptance to defend their political identities in the #MeToo era. The more Republicans and Democrats identified with being a member of their political party and reported feeling defensive when members from their political party are criticized, the more accepting they were of common sexual assault myths and thus the less likely they were to perceive sexual assault as a serious issue in need of addressing and the #MeToo movement as having a positive impact in the United States.

(Un)masking threat: Racial minorities experience race-based social identity threat wearing face masks during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. 136843022199878
Author(s):  
Kimberly Barsamian Kahn ◽  
Emma E. L. Money
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
The United States ◽  
Racial Minorities ◽  
Identity Threat ◽  
Social Identity Threat ◽  
Asian People ◽  
Police Interactions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, racial minorities in the United States were left in a double bind when deciding to wear face masks to prevent the spread of the virus: risk being racially profiled or risk COVID-19. Two studies examine Black and Asian individuals’ experiences of race-related social identity threat wearing face masks during COVID-19, and its impact on safety and health behaviors. Black, Asian, and White participants in the United States responded to surveys (S1: N = 776; S2: N = 534) on their experiences wearing masks early in the pandemic (May 2020) and 3 months later (August 2020). Across both studies, results indicated that, compared to White individuals, Black and Asian participants reported experiencing mask-related, race-based social identity threat from both the public and police, with Black individuals particularly concerned about mask-related threat in police interactions. Mediational analyses demonstrated that mask-related social identity threat led to avoidance of police when help was needed at both time points, and decreased face mask usage early in the pandemic for both Black and Asian people. Results highlight these unique social identity concerns faced by racial minorities and have implications for protecting racial minorities’ health and safety during the pandemic.

Perceptions of the heterogeneity of party elites in the United States

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 444-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth N Simas
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Political Party ◽  
Group Membership ◽  
The United States ◽  
Brand Names ◽  
Party Elites ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Psychological Bias

While it is widely accepted that in the United States, political party labels serve as brand names which cue voters about the beliefs and ideologies of members, I explore the possibility that the signals sent by these labels are contingent upon the party membership of the individual voter. More specifically, I draw on social identity theory and hypothesize that individuals will be more likely to perceive heterogeneity among members of their own party. I find support for this hypothesis in perceptions of both the overall ideologies and voting records of US senators. Additionally, I compare respondent perceptions back to actual voting records and find that inpartisans are (1) only more likely to be correct when senators do in fact vote differently and (2) significantly less likely to be correct when senators vote the same way. These results suggest that the partisan differences uncovered are due to psychological bias and not just informational asymmetries and that biases stemming from group membership may lead to distorted opinions of senators and the representation they provide.

scholarly journals Rape Myth Acceptance Among College Students in the United States, Japan, and India

SAGE Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824401667501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Stephens ◽  
Akiko Kamimura ◽  
Niwako Yamawaki ◽  
Haimanti Bhattacharya ◽  
Wenjing Mo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
College Students ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
The United States ◽  
Rape Myth Acceptance ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Myth Acceptance

Rape myth acceptance is an important determinant of sexual assault behaviors. This study explored country and gender differences in rape myth acceptance among undergraduate students in the United States, Japan, and India. Male and female college students ( N = 637) in these three countries participated in a self-administered survey in the fall of 2012 (the United States, n = 206; Japan, n = 215; and India, n = 216). The order of the countries arranged in increasing order of likelihood of disbelieving rape claim was as follows: the United States, Japan, and India. U.S. and Japanese students were less likely to disbelieve rape claims ( p < .01) while U.S. students also were less likely to believe that victims are responsible for rape ( p < .01). Overall, female participants were less likely to believe in the rape myth acceptance, disbelief of rape claim and victims are responsible for rape ( p < .05). Acceptance of rape myth also varied by whether a participant knew about an organization or who do not believe they would seek help for sexual assault. Non-help seeking is associated with rape myth acceptance. This study, which used the same survey and data collection methods, provides comparative information on rape myth acceptance among college students in the United States, Japan, and India, which is not otherwise available, and contributes to providing fundamental knowledge to develop country-specific prevention programs.

Religion From the Target’s Perspective: A Portrait of Religious Threat and Its Consequences in the United States

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael H. Pasek ◽  
Jonathan E. Cook
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Intergroup Bias ◽  
Religious Groups ◽  
Identity Threat ◽  
Religious Minority ◽  
Social Identity Threat ◽  
The Subject

Little is known about social identity threat from religion or religiosity. We collected data from a diverse sample of Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and Muslims across the United States ( N = 970) to test whether, and for whom, religion and religiosity, like other social identities, can be consequential sources of identity threat. Results suggest that religious threat is highest among religious minority groups (Muslims and Jews) and highly religious Protestants. Threat predicted (1) lower belonging, (2) a greater propensity to conceal one’s religion, and (3) more intergroup bias, although these patterns varied somewhat by religion. Results illuminate how a broader social climate in which religion and specific religious groups are often the subject of heated rhetoric may trigger identity threat and exacerbate intergroup hostilities.

Processing of Social Identity Threats

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 361-372 ◽  
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.

Managing a Social Identity Threat

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Pagliaro ◽  
Francesca Romana Alparone ◽  
Maria Giuseppina Pacilli ◽  
Angelica Mucchi-Faina
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Identity Threat ◽  
Status Group ◽  
Social Identity Threat ◽  
Social Creativity ◽  
Threatening Situation

We examined how members of a low status group react to a social identity threat. We propose that expressing an ambivalent evaluation toward the ingroup may represent a way to manage such a threatening situation. For this study, 131 undergraduates’ identification with Italians was assessed. Participants were divided into groups, according to a situational identity threat (high vs. low). In line with hypotheses, low identifiers expressed more ambivalence toward the ingroup in the high (vs. low) threat condition. The reversed pattern emerged for high identifiers. This effect was mediated by the perception of intragroup variability, a well-known social creativity strategy. Results confirmed our interpretation of ambivalence as a form of social creativity, and are discussed in terms of social identity concerns.

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