Examines how economic threats affect contact intentions with refugees, suggesting the importance of religious identity and emotions.
Key Points
To explore how economic threats influence emotions and willingness to interact with Syrian refugees, focusing on superordinate religious identity.
Two studies conducted with participants from Türkiye: Study 1 had 298 participants with economic threat and neutral text conditions, Study 2 involved 440 participants in a correlational design.
Participants' emotional responses and contact intentions were measured after reading the assigned texts or completing a questionnaire.
The role of socioeconomic status as a moderator was analyzed in relation to the effects of superordinate religious identity.
No significant difference in contact intentions was found between groups in Study 1.
Negative emotions negatively impacted contact intentions; superordinate religious identity was positively associated with them.
In Study 1, superordinate religious identity reduced negative emotions, which increased contact intentions, especially among individuals with lower socioeconomic status.
Study 2 confirmed the indirect effects of superordinate religious identity on reducing negative emotions and increasing contact intentions but did not replicate the socioeconomic status moderation.