Attitudes and emotions predict discrimination better than stereotypes do.

Evidence

Focusing on attitudes and emotions emphasizes the evaluative and affective aspects of Islamophobia. An evaluation tells you if a group is good or bad, if it is worthy of respect or disdain, and if it should be avoided or embraced. An affect is a gut-level reaction, such as disgust, fear, or hostility. Analytically, attitudes and emotions can be distinguished both from beliefs and from actions. Contemporary research in social psychology tends to differentiate between beliefs (such as stereotypes), attitudes, and emotions (Brewer, 2007; Fiske, 1998). Although all three are frequently related, stereotypes are less intertwined than are attitudes and emotions, and stereotypes are weaker predictors of discrimination and social distance than are prejudices or emotional responses (Fiske, 1998, pp. 372-373). — Erik Bleich, What Is Islamophobia and How Much Is…, 32

The self-inspired role of emotions may be even more powerful than the role of simple cold cognitions, which do not necessarily implicate the self. Meta-analyses linking stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination find prejudice better predicts discrimination than stereotypes do (e.g., Dovidio, Brigham, Johnson, & Gaertner, 1996). Specifically, emotional prejudices predict discriminatory behavior as well as behavioral intentions do, equivalent to r = 0.38. Cognitive beliefs and stereotypes predict behavior at only r = 0.15 (Talaska, Fiske, & Chaiken, 2004). — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 341

Categorization

• QUESTION: If stereotypes are weaker predictors than attitudes/emotions, what does that imply for measuring Islamophobia via belief-surveys about Islam rather than gut-level affect toward Muslims?
• SEED: Possible essay angle: interventions targeting hostile behavior should target emotional responses, not just correcting false beliefs about outgroups — the data argue stereotypes are the weak lever.
• XREF: Links to the stereotype-prejudice-discrimination model from Allport’s original work and to the book’s central themes about affect vs cognition. — connects to: Prejudice is an attitude in search of an object, not the reverse; Self-reported religiosity reliably but weakly predicts racial prejudice; Expecting rationality yields better predictions of behavior than expecting irrationality. (+8 more)
• SHARE: Any colleague working on implicit bias or prejudice reduction would want this exact numbers pairing.
• corroborated: 4 independent passages support this claim — Erik Bleich, What Is Islamophobia and How Much Is…, 32; John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 341
• recurring: this claim recurs 3 times within its source

Broader Connections

• Emotional prejudice predicts discrimination, while stereotypes predict it only weakly. #corroborates (1.00) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 341
• Emotions may predict prejudiced behavior better than cognitions do #corroborates (0.92) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2030
• Positive group attitudes can coexist with pervasive discrimination against that group #complicates (0.80)
• Prejudice is an attitude in search of an object, not the reverse #corroborates (0.78)
• Prejudice toward different groups is driven by stereotypes or emotions variably #qualifies (0.78)
• Behavioral discrimination persists even where attitudes lack textbook negative prejudice #complicates (0.78) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 186
• Self-reported religiosity reliably but weakly predicts racial prejudice #corroborates (0.72)
• Expecting rationality yields better predictions of behavior than expecting irrationality. #corroborates (0.72)