Bright Minds and Dark Attitudes
Lower Cognitive Ability Predicts Greater Prejudice Through Right-Wing
Ideology and Low Intergroup Contact
Gordon Hodson and
Michael A. Busseri
+ Author Affiliations
Brock University
Gordon Hodson, Department of Psychology, Brock University, 500 Glenridge Ave
., St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2S 3A1 E-mail: ghodson@brocku.ca
Abstract
Despite their important implications for interpersonal behaviors and
relations, cognitive abilities have been largely ignored as explanations of
prejudice. We proposed and tested mediation models in which lower cognitive
ability predicts greater prejudice, an effect mediated through the
endorsement of right-wing ideologies (social conservatism, right-wing
authoritarianism) and low levels of contact with out-groups. In an analysis
of two large-scale, nationally representative United Kingdom data sets (N =
15,874), we found that lower general intelligence (g) in childhood predicts
greater racism in adulthood, and this effect was largely mediated via
conservative ideology. A secondary analysis of a U.S. data set confirmed a
predictive effect of poor abstract-reasoning skills on antihomosexual
prejudice, a relation partially mediated by both authoritarianism and low
levels of intergroup contact. All analyses controlled for education and
socioeconomic status. Our results suggest that cognitive abilities play a
critical, albeit underappreciated, role in prejudice. Consequently, we
recommend a heightened focus on cognitive ability in research on prejudice
and a better integration of cognitive ability into prejudice models. |
发表于 25-2-2012 02:25:57
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