The Nature of Anti-Asian American Xenophobia during the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Preliminary Exploration into Envy as a Key Motivator of Hate.

Daisuke Akiba,Mari Hirano,Ana Sofia Velazquez Lopez

doi:10.3390/bs11110158

Abstract

Background. The current Coronavirus pandemic has been linked to a dramatic increase in anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) hate incidents in the United States. At the time of writing, there does not appear to be any published empirical research examining the mechanisms underlying Asiaphobia during the current pandemic. Based on the stereotype content model, we investigated the idea that ambivalent attitudes toward AAPIs, marked primarily with envy, may be contributing to anti-AAPI xenophobia. Methods. Study 1 (N = 140) explored, through a survey, the link between envious stereotypes toward AAPIs and Asiaphobia. Study 2 (N = 167), utilizing autobiographical recall tasks, experimentally induced the affect of envy in order to establish causality between feelings of envy toward AAPIs and Asiaphobia. Results. In Study 1, envious stereotypes toward AAPIs were found to be predictive of Asiaphobia and, in Study 2, the inducement of envy led to heightened levels of Asiaphobia. Conclusions. The current research provides support for the proposition that, consistent with the stereotype content model, stereotypes and attitudes toward AAPIs marked with ambivalent and envious views, consisting of a mix of perceived competence and lack of “human warmth,” may be fueling Asiaphobia. Implications for potential applications and future research are discussed.

Highlights

Since the onset of the current Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, thousands of hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) have been reported, ranging from physical assaults and racist rants to the refusal of services [1,2,3]
In addition to blatant anti-AAPI hate incidents, AAPIs have been grappling with subtler forms of xenophobia which may lead to chronic stress that could potentially compromise their overall health, such as being routinely exposed to anti-AAPI sentiments online, seeing attributions widely made to Asia and its people vis-à-vis the pandemic in the media, or witnessing individuals avoid AAPIs, ostensibly fearing infection [2,6]
Study 1 demonstrated that scores on the short version of Lin and her colleagues’ [27] Scale of Anti-Asian American Stereotypes (SAAAS), which measures envious stereotyping toward AAPIs, were predictive of Coronavirus Asiaphobia

Summary

Introduction

Since the onset of the current Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, thousands of hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) have been reported, ranging from physical assaults and racist rants to the refusal of services [1,2,3]. The critical importance of addressing Asiaphobia has been empirically highlighted by Cheah and her colleagues [6], who have released the results of a survey that they conducted as part of their larger research concerning adults of Chinese origin (N = 543) and their children aged between 10 and 18 years (N = 230) residing in the U.S For both age groups, in-person or online experiences of Coronavirus-related Asiaphobia, perceived Sinophobia in healthcare, and perceived Sinophobia in the media were found to be linked to: (a) compromised overall psychological health; (b) symptoms of anxiety; and (c) depressive symptoms Needless to say, these consequences may not merely be outcomes and, instead, they may further compromise the health and quality of life among the affected population. It is reasonable to conclude that Asiaphobia may take a toll on the psychological health of AAPI individuals upon actual victimization or, to a lesser degree, vicarious victimization

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Conclusion