The role of minority discrimination and political participation in shaping majority perceptions of discrimination

Author(s)
Judit Kende, Julia Reiter, Canan Coşkan, Bertjan Doosje, Eva Green
Abstract

We develop a minority influence approach to multilevel intergroup research and examine whether country-level minority norms shape majority members' perceptions of discrimination. Defining minority norms via actual minority discrimination and political participation, we hypothesized that in national contexts with greater minority experiences of discrimination and greater minority political participation, majority perceptions of discrimination should be higher. We implemented two cross-national multilevel studies drawing on the European Social Survey and Eurobarometer data with 19,392 participants in 22 countries in Study 1, and with 17,651 participants in 19 countries in Study 2. Higher aggregate levels of minority discrimination were not related to greater acknowledgment of discrimination among majority members. However, higher aggregate minority political participation did relate to higher perceptions of discrimination in Studies 1 and 2. We conclude that country-level minority norms are consequential for majority attitudes, but these norms need to be actively communicated through political participation.

Organisation(s)
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology
External organisation(s)
Universität Bielefeld, Université de Lausanne, University of Amsterdam (UvA)
Journal
Group Processes and Intergroup Relations
Volume
26
Pages
607-628
No. of pages
22
ISSN
1368-4302
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302221075711
Publication date
2021
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
501021 Social psychology, 506016 Migration policy
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Psychology(all), Political Science and International Relations
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/the-role-of-minority-discrimination-and-political-participation-in-shaping-majority-perceptions-of-discrimination(fb06e4c7-5fd9-47ea-a67f-60f142414f53).html