Religious Group Identification and Ethno-National Attitudes in Buddhist, Muslim and Orthodox Youth

The current research studies the problems connected with interrelation between religiosity and intergroup hostility (or prejudice). We hypothesized and verified the connection between identification with religious group and ethno-national attitudes. Diagnostic methods measuring in-group religious identification, ethno-national attitudes, subjective categories of social consolidation and agreement with patriotic ideologems (by C.W. Leach, E. R. Agadullina, A.V. Lovakov, L. M. Drobizheva, O.E. Khukhlaev, N.V. Tkachenko, I.M. Kuznetsov, V.D. Shapiro) were used on the sample of 1032 participants (ages from 17 to 22 years), belonging to one of three religions: Buddhism (Kalmyks), Islam (Chechens) or Orthodoxy (Russians). The regression analysis provided statistically significant connections (p<0.05) of in-group religious identification and patriotic ethno-national attitudes of young people, regardless of their religion. Moreover among Russian Buddhist, Muslim and Orthodox youths the identification with the religious group is not revealed as a predictor of intergroup hostility. The study results extend the scientific understanding of the relationship between religious identity and intergroup relations.