The Role of Prejudice and the Need for Closure in Religious Fundamentalism

Abstract

Religious fundamentalism has been consistently linked to prejudice toward a variety of outgroups. This article proposes that this is partially the case because fundamentalist ideology provides a sense of consistency and closure. Outgroups that challenge the epistemic certainty that fundamentalism provides are rejected in an effort to protect this certainty. Results from two studies, including one using a nationally representative sample, found that the need for closure was related to fundamentalism and partially mediated the relationship between fundamentalism and the derogation of lesbians and gays (Study 1) and value violators in general (Study 2). Furthermore, in Study 2, it was found that only some aspects of the need for closure explain the fundamentalism-prejudice relationship. Results are discussed in relation to past need for closure and ideology research as well as what this means for the study of fundamentalism.