Race And Religion Are Religious People More Prejudiced? Authoritarian Personality: A Proxy For Religion?

Two Religious Americas? Portraits of American Life Study (2006/12) Two Religious Americas? “One of the most effective ways to improve race relations is to stop talking about race.” 2012 69% of White Evangelical Christians 2006 51% of White Evangelical Christians 2012 34% of Black Evangelicals 2006 24% of Black Evangelicals “It is okay for the races to be separate, as long as they have equal opportunity.” 2012 34% of White Evangelicals 2006 20% of White Evangelicals 2012 16% of Black Evangelicals 2006 19% of Black Evangelicals “I think about my race daily (and have been treated unfairly)” 2012 13% of White Evangelicals (16%) 2006 11% of White Evangelicals (11%) 2012 41% of Black Evangelicals (43%) 2006 36% of Black Evangelicals (30%)

Authoritarian Personality The Fascism Scale - devised by Adorno - replaced the Anti-Semitism (A-S) and Ethnocentrism (E) scales - Thirty questions with Likert scale (strongly agree to strongly disagree) Authoritarianism’s Origins - harsh, punitive, disciplinarian upbringing - latent hostility towards parents - anger at parents irrationally displaced onto minority groups or “fear” of parents is projected onto them. Authoritarian Personality

Nine Authoritarian Personality Characteristics Conventionalism Authoritarian Submission Authoritarian Aggression Anti-Intraception Superstition & Stereotypy Power and “Toughness” Destructive Cynicism Projectivity Sex Obsession Conventionalism Rigid adherence to “middle-class” values Sample Q: Business men are more important to society than artists and professors. Authoritarian Submission Superficial respect for authority figues Sample Q: What this country need is a few courageous, tireless leaders in whom the people can put their faith. Authoritarian Aggression Tendency to reject people who violate values Sample Q: Most of our social problems would be solved if we could somehow get rid of the immoral, crooked, and feebleminded. Nine Authoritarian Personality Characteristics

Nine Authoritarian Personality Characteristics Anti-Intraception Perceiving creative people as a threat Sample Q: If people would talk less and work more, everybody would be better off. Superstition & Stereotypy The belief in mystical determinants of fate Sample Q: Everyone should have complete faith in a God whose decisions are obeyed without question. Power and “Toughness” Preoccupation with dominance/submission ideals Sample Q: People can be divided into two distinct classes: the weak and the strong. Nine Authoritarian Personality Characteristics

Nine Authoritarian Personality Characteristics Destructive Cynicism Vilification of human beings as weak Sample Q: Human nature being what it is, there will always be war and conflict. Projectivity Constant “fear” of wild/dangerous things Sample Q: Most people don’t realize how much our lives are controlled by plots hatched in secret places. Sex Obsession Exaggerated concern with sexual “goings-on” Sample Q: Homosexuals aren’t much better than criminals and ought to be severely punished. Nine Authoritarian Personality Characteristics

Are Religious People More Prejudiced? Hall et al (2010) Why Don’t We Practice What We Preach? Strong Religious Identification: “How important is religion in your life”? Extrinsic Religiosity: “What religion offers me most is comfort when sorrows and misfortune strike.” Religious Fundamentalism: “God has given humanity a complete, unfailing guide to happiness and salvation, which must be totally followed.” Intrinsic Religiosity: “My religious beliefs are what really lie behind my whole approach to life.” Agnosticism: “Questions are far more central to my religious experience than are answers.” • Important Dynamics Religion as an Intergroup Phenomenon Religious Conventionalism Religious Humanitarianism • Values Promoting Racial Intolerance: Strong Religious Identification: One’s religion is considered very important in their life. Most churches and religious traditions are segregated. Extrinsic Religiosity: Religiosity motivated by external factors such as desires for social status, security, and acceptance from others. Religion is a means to an end. Religious Fundamentalism: Religiosity that reflects an unquestioning, unwavering certainty in basic religious truths. Are Religious People More Prejudiced?

Are Religious People More Prejudiced? Strong Religious Identification: “How important is religion in your life”? Extrinsic Religiosity: “What religion offers me most is comfort when sorrows and misfortune strike.” Religious Fundamentalism: “God has given humanity a complete, unfailing guide to happiness and salvation, which must be totally followed.” Intrinsic Religiosity: “My religious beliefs are what really lie behind my whole approach to life.” Agnosticism: “Questions are far more central to my religious experience than are answers.” • Important Dynamics Religion as an Intergroup Phenomenon Religious Conventionalism Religious Humanitarianism • Values Promoting Racial Tolerance: Intrinsic Religiosity: Religiosity motivated by beliefs that there is good in just being religious regardless of any social benefits to it. Religion is an end unto itself. Agnosticism: Religiosity that reflects a desire to face existential questions and acknowledge one’s religious doubts. These folks don’t attend services, don’t report much personal prayer, and may not even believe in God. Are Religious People More Prejudiced?