Research article
When immigrant groups “misbehave”: The influence of perceived deviant behavior on increased threat and discriminatory intentions and the moderating role of right-wing authoritarianism
Mathias Kauff,
Frank Asbrock,
Christian Issmer,
Stefan Thörner,
Ulrich Wagner,
Corresponding Author
Mathias Kauff
Institute for Psychology, FernUniversität in Hagen, Hagen, Germany
Correspondence Mathias Kauff, Institute for Psychology, FernUniversität in Hagen, Universitätsstr. 33 58084 Hagen, Germany.
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFrank Asbrock
Institute for Psychology, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorChristian Issmer
Zentrum für Schulpsychologie, Düsseldorf, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorStefan Thörner
Faculty of Psychology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorUlrich Wagner
Faculty of Psychology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorMathias Kauff,
Frank Asbrock,
Christian Issmer,
Stefan Thörner,
Ulrich Wagner,
Corresponding Author
Mathias Kauff
Institute for Psychology, FernUniversität in Hagen, Hagen, Germany
Correspondence Mathias Kauff, Institute for Psychology, FernUniversität in Hagen, Universitätsstr. 33 58084 Hagen, Germany.
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFrank Asbrock
Institute for Psychology, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorChristian Issmer
Zentrum für Schulpsychologie, Düsseldorf, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorStefan Thörner
Faculty of Psychology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorUlrich Wagner
Faculty of Psychology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
In two studies, we tested the relationship between non-immigrant individuals' perceptions of deviant behavior carried out by Muslims and foreigners and discriminatory intentions towards these outgroups. Based on a longitudinal and a representative cross-sectional sample, we showed that two different types of perceived deviant behavior (Study 1, Muslims' unwillingness to integrate; and Study 2, foreigners' hostility towards the non-immigrant majority group) are related to increased intergroup threat, which in turn is related to increased intentions to show passive discrimination (i.e., avoidance) towards these outgroups. In line with theorizing about an increased sensitivity for threat in authoritarian individuals, the relationship between perceptions of deviant behavior and threat was especially strong among high authoritarian individuals. Theoretical and practical implications of our results are discussed.
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