Multiculturalism centrality moderates the effect of distinctiveness threat on outgroup prejudice

• Main Author: Thong, Gwyneth Yuan Ting
• Other Authors: Wan Ching
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Social sciences::Psychology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/150706
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Distinctiveness threat occurs when the ingroup and outgroup are perceived to be insufficiently differentiated, which may prompt increased outgroup prejudice in ingroup identity defence. This research examined the role of the centrality of multiculturalism as a value in individuals’ responses towards distinctiveness threat. Values that are central to the ingroup affirm the ingroup identity and guide actions to be aligned with the values. When multiculturalism is perceived as a central value to the ingroup, upholding multiculturalism could also restore ingroup distinctiveness. Importantly, multiculturalism as a value promotes acceptance of outgroups. Thus, we expected that at high multiculturalism centrality to the ingroup, distinctiveness threat would lead to decreased (instead of increased) outgroup prejudice. Singaporean undergraduates first reported the centrality of multiculturalism to the Singaporean identity. They were then shown bogus information where Singaporean and international students were either similar (high distinctiveness threat) or dissimilar (low distinctiveness threat) on personality profiles. Then, they rated their envious prejudice, and facilitation and harm behavioural tendencies toward international students. Lastly, they reported their level of Singaporean identification. Findings showed that multiculturalism centrality moderated the effect of distinctiveness threat on outgroup prejudice, supporting our prediction. At high multiculturalism centrality, high (vs low) distinctiveness threat resulted in lower envious prejudice towards international students. Singaporean identification did not show the same moderating effect. Our results suggest that high centrality of multiculturalism may override the negative intergroup effect of distinctiveness threat. Implications of the findings on intergroup relations will be discussed.