Social dominance orientation, belief in a just world and intergroup contact as predictors of homeless stigmatisation

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore individual and situational predictors of homeless stigmatization. The aim was to test if individual differences in Belief in a Just World (BJW) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) moderate the effect of quantity and quality of contact on stigmatization of the homeless. One hundred and eighty-seven participants completed measures of BJW, SDO, quality, and quantity of contact, as well as a measure of homeless stigmatization. Results showed that BJW and SDO correlated positively with stigmatization, while both quantity and quality of contact were negatively correlated with stigmatization. SDO was found to moderate the relationship between quantity of contact and stigmatization; more contact with the homeless was related to lower stigmatization for participants with low and moderate SDO scores but not those with high SDO. BJW did not moderate the relationship between contact and stigmatization. Implications regarding the interaction between SDO and contact are discussed.