The effect of intergroup threat on conspiracy beliefs about gender equality initiatives within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Research output: Contribution to conferencePoster

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of intergroup threat on attitudes towards gender equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives, including conspiracy theories about them.
EDI initiatives face backlash, which can be adopted into the “culture wars” narrative. This can include circulation of conspiracy theories about these initiatives – for example, the allegation that feminists use EDI to hinder men’s career progression. In a pilot study (N=303), realistic threat and gender identification emerged as predictors of gender EDI conspiracy beliefs, as measured by a new scale. This study will provide an experimental test of this relationship.
Approximately 350 men working in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will be recruited via Prolific. Participants will be randomly allocated to read an article about STEM workplaces, ostensibly from an online news publication, designed to induce realistic threat, symbolic threat or negative affect. Participants will then complete measures of general attitudes and conspiracy beliefs regarding gender EDI initiatives, gender identification, male collective narcissism and zero-sum beliefs about gender equality. The latter three variables will be investigated as moderators. Measures and analyses will be pre-registered on OSF. Data analysis will be completed by January 2022.
These findings will elaborate the role of intergroup threat in conspiracy beliefs. Furthermore, conspiracy beliefs have been shown to influence behaviour. As such, these findings may provide a framework to inform interventions addressing both negative and conspiratorial beliefs about EDI initiatives, thereby improving engagement with them.

Conference

Conference45th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP)
Country/TerritoryGreece
CityAthens
Period14/07/202217/07/2022
Internet address

Keywords

  • Conspiracy theories
  • Intergroup threat
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology

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