Psychology

Inclusive victim consciousness predicts minority group members' support for refugees and immigrants

Document Type

Article

Abstract

What motivates minority group members to support other minorities, rather than compete for resources? We tested whether inclusive victim consciousness -i.e., perceived similarities between the ingroup's and outgroups' collective victimization-predicts support for other minority groups; and whether personal and family experiences of group-based victimization moderate these effects. Study 1 was conducted among members of historically oppressed groups in India. As hypothesized, inclusive victim consciousness predicted support for refugees. Personal experiences of group-based victimization moderated this effect. Conceptually replicating these findings, in Study 2 (among Vietnamese Americans, mostly second-generation immigrants) inclusive victim consciousness predicted less hostility toward other refugees and immigrants, and greater perceived responsibility to help victims of collective violence. This effect was moderated by family experiences of victimization.

Publication Title

Journal of Applied Social Psychology

Publication Date

2016

Volume

46

Issue

6

First Page

354

Last Page

368

ISSN

0021-9029

DOI

10.1111/jasp.12368

Keywords

victim consciousness, minority group members, refugees, immigrants

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