Negative stereotypes both accompany intergroup threats and independently predict outgroup attitudes

Evidence

Negative stereotypes are positively related to the other threats specified by the ITT. Furthermore, similar to W. G. Stephan and colleagues’ (2002) findings, negative stereotypes are shown to have both direct and indirect relationships with outgroup attitudes. Although negative stereotypes have a moderate relationship with other threat types, they also maintain a direct, unique relationship with outgroup attitudes. Complicating the issue further is the possibility that negative stereotypes may also be a consequence of intergroup threat. — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes, 127

Ingroup Identification 0.16* 9 14,557 154.72* 19 Negative Stereotypes 0.35* 16 4,554 141.92* 96 Symbolic Ingroup Identification 0.29* 7 2,165 16.57* 34 Negative Stereotypes 0.37* 23 5,396 198.37* 147 Anxiety Ingroup Identification 0.22* 7 2,260 23.49* 24 Negative Stereotypes 0.36* 16 4,702 98.30* 99 Note: r = average Pearson correlation; k = number of samples in analysis; N = total number of-participants; Qw = within-class homogeneity statistic. — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes, 101

We first qualitatively review the intergroup threat literature, describing the shiftfrom competing theories toward more integrated approaches, such as the integrated threat theory (ITT; W G. Stephan & Stephan, 2000). The types of threats discussed include: realistic threat, symbolic threat, intergroup anxiety, negative stereotypes, group esteem threat, and distinctiveness threat. … We then conducted a quantitative meta-analysis examining the relationships between various intergroup threats and outgroup attitudes. The meta-analysis, involving 95 samples, revealed that 5 different threat types had a positive relationship with negative outgroup attitudes. — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes, 16

Negative stereotypes generate threat by creating negative expectations concerning the behavior of outgroup members. Stereotypes have long been associated with negative outgroup attitudes (Eagly & Mladinic, 1989; Spencer-Rodgers & McGovern, 2002). Additionally, negative expectancies influence social information processing and social judgments (Hamilton, Sherman, & Ruvolo, 1990; Ybarra, Schaberg, & Keiper, 1999). W. G. Stephan and Stephan (1996) postulated that because negative stereotypes represent negative expectations about outgroups, negative stereotypes occur in conjunction with negative emotions (e.g., fear, anger) toward the outgroup, which intensify negative outgroup attitudes. — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes, 48

In terms of negative outgroup stereotypes, there has been some question as to whether they are best conceptualized as an independent threat that directly predicts outgroup attitudes or as an antecedent of the other types ofthreat (i.e., realistic, symbolic, anxiety). To explore this issue, W. G. Stephan and colleagues (2002) measured all four types of threat and outgroup attitudes among Black and White samples and compared two models, one with all four types of threat directly predicting outgroup attitudes and the other with negative stereotypes as an antecedent to the other types of threat. The results suggested that the second model, using negative stereotypes as an antecedent, was the superior model. Realistic threat, symbolic threat, and intergroup anxiety all mediated the relationship between negative stereotypes and racial attitudes. Nevertheless, this mediation was not always complete and in the White sample a significant direct effect of negative stereotypes on racial attitudes remained even after the mediation effects were considered. Thus, although negative stereotypes do predict the other types of threat, they also predict outgroup attitudes directly (i.e., independent of other threats). — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes, 52

Categorization

• QUESTION: The bidirectional claim — threats may cause stereotypes just as stereotypes cause threats — is central to the MOC’s causal logic; worth verifying with the Brewer & Dovidio citations.
• XREF: Negative stereotypes correlate with realistic (.35), symbolic (.37), and anxiety (.36) threats well above ingroup identification’s correlations — bearing directly on whether stereotypes are fuel (antecedent) or exhaust (consequence) of felt threat. — connects to: Threat effects on attitudes are stronger for low-status than high-status outgroups — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup…, 129; Perceived outgroup threats damage intergroup relations even without hostility — Walter G. Stephan, Oscar Ybarra, Kimberly Rios Morrison, Intergroup Threat Theory, 38; Suppressing negative self-views about one’s group causes harsher stereotyping of outgroups (+16 more)
• DEFINE: Catalogues the six threat constructs the review consolidates: realistic threat, symbolic threat, intergroup anxiety, negative stereotypes, group esteem threat, distinctiveness threat.
• corroborated: 5 independent passages support this claim — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup…, 127; Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup…, 101; Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup…, 16 (+2 more)

Related

• Perceived outgroup threats damage intergroup relations even without hostility (similarity 0.88)
• Negative stereotypes cause threat rather than being a distinct threat type themselves. (similarity 0.87)
• Threat effects on attitudes are stronger for low-status than high-status outgroups (similarity 0.87)
• Four threat types explain 36 percent of variance in outgroup attitudes (similarity 0.87)
• Group threats act through intergroup emotions to reach outgroup attitudes. (similarity 0.85)
• Positive stereotypes may also induce perceived threat (similarity 0.85)
• Group dislike generates stereotypic beliefs, not the reverse (similarity 0.84)
• Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner — Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes A Meta-Analytic Review (similarity 0.84)
• Group esteem threat research omits stereotype and identification measures (similarity 0.84)
• Group-based identity forces precede realistic and symbolic threat perception (similarity 0.84)
• Perceived threat amplifies both in-group favoritism and out-group hostility (similarity 0.83)
• Ingroup identification strength moderates whether group-level or individual-level threats drive attitudes. (similarity 0.83)
• Stereotypes and identification precede threats, whose attitude effects run through emotions. (similarity 0.83)
• Groups seen as competing with the ingroup are stereotyped as low in warmth (similarity 0.83)
• Intergroup threat and negative outgroup attitudes relate bidirectionally, not one-way. (similarity 0.82)

Broader Connections

• Perceived threat, not just difference, drives stigma toward varied outgroups #corroborates (0.85) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 337
• Perceived threat amplifies both in-group favoritism and out-group hostility #expands (0.80) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 1103
• Subtle racial attitudes stem from structural inequality plus perceived group threat #corroborates (0.80) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3437
• Outgroup stereotypes arise independently of ingroup love depth #corroborates (0.80) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 327
• Group dislike generates stereotypic beliefs, not the reverse #contradicts (0.78) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 841
• Hostility toward a group comes first and negative stereotypes follow to justify it #contradicts (0.78)
• Group identification predicts negative attitudes toward outsiders #expands (0.75) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 1060
• Threat amplifies the ultimate attribution error in intergroup perception. #expands (0.75) — Walter G. Stephan, Oscar Ybarra, Kimberly Rios Morrison, Intergroup Threat Theory, 17
• Intergroup anxiety arises from anticipated negative consequences and perceived threats #expands (0.75) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1832
• Suppressing negative self-views about one’s group causes harsher stereotyping of outgroups #expands (0.72)
• Threat biases memory, stereotype disconfirmation, and perceived outgroup size. #expands (0.72) — Walter G. Stephan, Oscar Ybarra, Kimberly Rios Morrison, Intergroup Threat Theory, 17
• Status insecurity triggers reflexive disparagement of outgroups #expands (0.72) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 115