TY - JOUR
T1 - Reconstruing Intolerance
T2 - Abstract Thinking Reduces Conservatives' Prejudice Against Nonnormative Groups
AU - Luguri, Jamie B.
AU - Napier, Jaime L.
AU - Dovidio, John F.
PY - 2012/7
Y1 - 2012/7
N2 - Myrdal (1944) described the "American dilemma" as the conflict between abstract national values ("liberty and justice for all") and more concrete, everyday prejudices. We leveraged construal-level theory to empirically test Myrdal's proposition that construal level (abstract vs. concrete) can influence prejudice. We measured individual differences in construal level (Study 1) and manipulated construal level (Studies 2 and 3); across these three studies, we found that adopting an abstract mind-set heightened conservatives' tolerance for groups that are perceived as deviating from Judeo-Christian values (gay men, lesbians, Muslims, and atheists). Among participants who adopted a concrete mind-set, conservatives were less tolerant of these nonnormative groups than liberals were, but political orientation did not have a reliable effect on tolerance among participants who adopted an abstract mind-set. Attitudes toward racial out-groups and dominant groups (e.g., Whites, Christians) were unaffected by construal level. In Study 3, we found that the effect of abstract thinking on prejudice was mediated by an increase in concerns about fairness.
AB - Myrdal (1944) described the "American dilemma" as the conflict between abstract national values ("liberty and justice for all") and more concrete, everyday prejudices. We leveraged construal-level theory to empirically test Myrdal's proposition that construal level (abstract vs. concrete) can influence prejudice. We measured individual differences in construal level (Study 1) and manipulated construal level (Studies 2 and 3); across these three studies, we found that adopting an abstract mind-set heightened conservatives' tolerance for groups that are perceived as deviating from Judeo-Christian values (gay men, lesbians, Muslims, and atheists). Among participants who adopted a concrete mind-set, conservatives were less tolerant of these nonnormative groups than liberals were, but political orientation did not have a reliable effect on tolerance among participants who adopted an abstract mind-set. Attitudes toward racial out-groups and dominant groups (e.g., Whites, Christians) were unaffected by construal level. In Study 3, we found that the effect of abstract thinking on prejudice was mediated by an increase in concerns about fairness.
KW - personal values
KW - prejudice
KW - social cognition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863971500&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84863971500&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0956797611433877
DO - 10.1177/0956797611433877
M3 - Article
C2 - 22653799
AN - SCOPUS:84863971500
SN - 0956-7976
VL - 23
SP - 756
EP - 763
JO - Psychological Science
JF - Psychological Science
IS - 7
ER -