The ABC of Stereotypes Among Muslims and Non-Muslims in Germany

Abstract

In an empirical, social-psychological survey with open-ended responses, Muslims and non-Muslims in Germany (N = 202) reported what they perceived to be common and socially shared stereotypes about what is “typical” for Muslims in Germany and for non-Muslim Germans. We coded the reported stereotypes according to the Agency, Beliefs, and Communion dimension scheme (ABC). Across both Muslim and non-Muslim sub-samples, non-Muslim Germans were perceived as more agentic and more progressive than Muslims in Germany, whereas Muslims in Germany were perceived as less agentic and more conservative. Even though non-Muslim Germans were generally considered as rather cold, the ascribed communion of Muslims in Germany was rated even lower than the communion of non-Muslim Germans. Differential analyses indicate that for Muslim respondents, communion stereotypes about non-Muslim Germans were associated with perceived symbolic threat and intergroup competition. For non-Muslim Germans, however, communion stereotypes about Muslims were positively correlated with perceived similarity (measured via closeness) of both groups and negatively correlated with intergroup status differences. These differential results provide the basis for discussing the role of ingroup status for predicting communion stereotypes towards outgroups.