How a tolerant past affects the present: historical tolerance and the acceptance of Muslim expressive rights

Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2012 Nov;38(11):1410-22. doi: 10.1177/0146167212450920. Epub 2012 Jun 19.

Abstract

Three studies, conducted in The Netherlands, examined the relationship between a tolerant representation of national history and the acceptance of Muslim expressive rights. Following self-categorization theory, it was hypothesized that historical tolerance would be associated with greater acceptance of Muslim expressive rights, especially for natives who strongly identify with their national in-group. Furthermore, it was predicted that the positive effect of representations of historical tolerance on higher identifiers' acceptance could be explained by reduced perceptions of identity incompatibility. The results of Study 1 confirmed the first hypothesis, and the results of Study 2 and Study 3 supported the second hypothesis. These findings underline the importance of historical representations of the nation for understanding current reactions toward immigrants. Importantly, the results show that a tolerant representation of national history can elevate acceptance of immigrants, especially among natives who feel a relatively strong sense of belonging to their nation.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Attitude*
  • Cultural Diversity
  • Emigrants and Immigrants / psychology*
  • Female
  • History
  • Human Rights
  • Humans
  • Islam*
  • Male
  • Netherlands
  • Politics
  • Prejudice
  • Psychological Distance*
  • Self Concept
  • Social Identification*
  • Social Values*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult