Plurality resistance: Effects on intergroup relations and the mediating role of stereotypes

Abstract

We currently seem to witness an increase of right-wing populism, anti-immigration sentiments, and a general hostility towards 'others' in increasingly diverse and complex societies. Based on literature in social, political and psychological sciences, we hypothesize that plurality resistance predicts negative intergroup relations by increasing stereotypes. Using data of a recent, large-scale, and representative survey (N = 2304; 55% females; MAge = 55,19 years), we examined, across different models, whether plurality resistance is associated with anti-Muslim attitudes, mediated via general and gendered Muslim stereotypes. Structural equation models provided evidence for the hypothesized main effect, which was partly mediated by stereotypes, while multigroup mediational models confirmed the robustness of the present findings. Results highlight the usefulness of plurality resistance that contributes to the explanation of negative intergroup relations as well as the important role of stereotypes as cognitive short-cuts for diversity-overwhelmed individuals in order to simplify and, thus, deal with the complexities of contemporary societies.