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Measuring and Reducing Religious Bias in Post‐Conflict Zones: Evidence from C ôte d' I voire
Author(s) -
McCauley John F.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
political psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.419
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1467-9221
pISSN - 0162-895X
DOI - 10.1111/pops.12059
Subject(s) - superordinate goals , social psychology , identity (music) , politics , psychology , social identity theory , test (biology) , positive economics , sociology , political science , economics , law , philosophy , social group , paleontology , biology , aesthetics
This article explores how religious bias, once it has been cultivated through politicization and violence, can be reduced. Using foundations from social identity theory and superordinate goal theory, I develop post‐conflict bias reduction strategies that include competing types of superordinate messages, economic and theological, as well as different sources of those messages. To test these strategies, I use video‐based information treatments coupled with I mplicit A ssociation T ests in Bouaké, C ôte d' I voire. The experimental findings point to three conclusions. First, implicit M uslim‐ C hristian bias in the study area remains high. Second, Christians in the study tend to be more biased against M uslims than M uslims are against C hristians. Third, the effectiveness of treatments depends on the subjects who receive those treatments: theological messages are most effective in reducing bias among M uslims, regardless of their source, and strategies that rely on political leaders to deliver messages perform best among C hristians, regardless of the content.