Psychologists Say
'Group Narcissism' Linked to Negative Attitudes Toward Immigrants
Feelings
of entitlement and superiority that go beyond patriotism and love of country
may be a key predictor for Americans who will feel or behave negatively toward
undocumented Latino immigrants, according to a study from The University of
Texas at Arlington.
Researchers
looked at those enhanced feelings of superiority -- referred to as group-level
narcissism -- along with a factor called national in-group identification in a
new work to be published in the August issue of the Hispanic Journal of
Behavioral Science. National in-group identification happens when a
person's individual identity is strongly tied to and dependent on their
membership in a group, like being an American.
Previous research has found that strong in-group identity is not necessarily a predictor of negative attitudes toward other groups. The UT Arlington team found, however, that attitudes changed when a strong in-group identity was paired with an average or above average group narcissism. Then, negative attitudes toward undocumented Latino immigrants were more likely.
"When
you look at the rhetoric surrounding undocumented, Latino immigrants in the
United States, the perspectives vary widely -- from those who characterize
undocumented immigrants as criminals to those who support expanding full citizenship
rights," said Patricia Lyons, a graduate of the psychology doctoral
program in the UT Arlington College of Science and a member of the research
team.
"We were interested in understanding how and why attitudes varied so widely from a psychological perspective.The group narcissism measure gave us a way to understand these attitudes."
"We were interested in understanding how and why attitudes varied so widely from a psychological perspective.The group narcissism measure gave us a way to understand these attitudes."
Lyons
co-authored the study with Jared Kenworthy, a UT Arlington associate psychology
professor, and Ph.D. candidate Lauren E. Coursey. Lyons is currently on the
psychology faculty at Mountain View College in Dallas.
The
team surveyed 223 university students with tools designed to measure their
national in-group identity and propensity for group-level narcissism, which is
defined as "an inflated image of one's group based on feelings of
superiority, entitlement and the need for constant attention and praise at the
collective level."
For
example, the test assessing group narcissism asked participants to rank how
strongly they agreed with statements such as "If America ruled the world
it would be a better place" and "America is the best country in the
world."
The
newly published paper builds on earlier research by Kenworthy and Lyons about
the relationship between in-group identification, group-level narcissism and
negative attitudes toward Arab-Americans. That study also found that
group-level narcissism was linked to negative attitudes.
The
researchers believe that increases in group-level narcissism may be prompted by
perceived threats to someone's group from an outside group. Those perceived
threats could center on a loss of valuable resources or job opportunities, or
threats to one's personal beliefs. The team hopes to examine the threat
component in future research.
At
a time when conversations about immigration reform can often turn ugly, the
research team hopes their latest work adds to understanding about what can
cause divisive attitudes and how those relationships might be improved.
Still,
there are no easy answers, Kenworthy said.
"One
thing we do know from previous research is that mere knowledge about, or even
contact with, another group is not adequate to reduce negative attitudes,"
Kenworthy said. "First, members of different groups must be given the
opportunity to come together in a setting of mutual goals, equal status and
cooperation."
Story Source:
The
above story is based on materials provided by University of Texas at Arlington.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further
information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
1.
P. A. Lyons, L. E.
Coursey, J. B. Kenworthy. National Identity and Group Narcissism as
Predictors of Intergroup Attitudes Toward Undocumented Latino Immigrants in the
United States. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 2013;
35 (3): 323 DOI:10.1177/0739986313488090
Need to cite this story in your essay, paper, or report? Use one
of the following formats:
APA
MLA
MLA
University of Texas at Arlington (2013, August 6). Psychologists
say 'group narcissism' linked to negative attitudes toward immigrants. ScienceDaily.
Retrieved August 7, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130806132943.htm