The Perspective of a Stigmatized Minority on Majority and Another Minority: The Role of Negative Normative Influence in Intergroup Relations

KOKY, Roman, Sylvie GRAF, Simona OĽHOVÁ, David LACKO and Martina HŘEBÍČKOVÁ. The Perspective of a Stigmatized Minority on Majority and Another Minority: The Role of Negative Normative Influence in Intergroup Relations. In Gender Diversity Across Europe – Devising Solutions from Interdisciplinary & Intersectoral Perspectives, Bern. 2024.

Basic information

• Original name: The Perspective of a Stigmatized Minority on Majority and Another Minority: The Role of Negative Normative Influence in Intergroup Relations
• Name (in English): The Perspective of a Stigmatized Minority on Majority and Another Minority: The Role of Negative Normative Influence in Intergroup Relations
• Authors: KOKY, Roman, Sylvie GRAF, Simona OĽHOVÁ, David LACKO and Martina HŘEBÍČKOVÁ.
• Edition: Gender Diversity Across Europe – Devising Solutions from Interdisciplinary & Intersectoral Perspectives, Bern, 2024.

Other information

• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Tags: International impact

Abstract

The Roma belong to one of the most stigmatized minorities in Europe. However, research that would investigate minorities’ perspective on their relations to the majority and other minorities is lacking. To improve intergroup relations, it is necessary to adopt an interdependent perspective and include the point of view of minorities. Intergroup contact is one of the most effective strategies for improving intergroup relations. However, in historically strained intergroup relations, direct contact is limited. In such contexts, indirect intergroup contact– information about intergroup contact of others–can improve relations through its normative function, that is, communicating information about others’ behavior. In our research, we investigated the Roma‘s attitudes toward the Czech majority (N = 184) and Ukrainian minority in the Czech Republic (N = 137), following the recent Roma-Ukrainian conflict. In the context of Roma relations with the Czech majority, we found that perceived avoidance of contact with the Czech majority on the part of other Roma (i.e., negative indirect intergroup contact) was linked to perceived general disapproval of intergroup contact with the Czech majority in the Roma (i.e., negative injunctive social norms) that was associated with Roma‘s negative attitudes against the Czech majority. In the Roma’s relations to another, newly arriving, minority, we did not confirm the role of negative injunctive norms. Yet, we found that the more direct intergroup contact with Ukrainians the Roma had, the less threatening they perceived Ukrainians, which was associated with Romas’ better attitudes toward Ukrainians–even amidst an acute intergroup tension. Our findings suggest that normative influence can vary even across relations of one group toward distinct outgroups, being potentially less pronounced in relatively newly formed, interminority relations.

Abstract (in English)

The Roma belong to one of the most stigmatized minorities in Europe. However, research that would investigate minorities’ perspective on their relations to the majority and other minorities is lacking. To improve intergroup relations, it is necessary to adopt an interdependent perspective and include the point of view of minorities. Intergroup contact is one of the most effective strategies for improving intergroup relations. However, in historically strained intergroup relations, direct contact is limited. In such contexts, indirect intergroup contact– information about intergroup contact of others–can improve relations through its normative function, that is, communicating information about others’ behavior. In our research, we investigated the Roma‘s attitudes toward the Czech majority (N = 184) and Ukrainian minority in the Czech Republic (N = 137), following the recent Roma-Ukrainian conflict. In the context of Roma relations with the Czech majority, we found that perceived avoidance of contact with the Czech majority on the part of other Roma (i.e., negative indirect intergroup contact) was linked to perceived general disapproval of intergroup contact with the Czech majority in the Roma (i.e., negative injunctive social norms) that was associated with Roma‘s negative attitudes against the Czech majority. In the Roma’s relations to another, newly arriving, minority, we did not confirm the role of negative injunctive norms. Yet, we found that the more direct intergroup contact with Ukrainians the Roma had, the less threatening they perceived Ukrainians, which was associated with Romas’ better attitudes toward Ukrainians–even amidst an acute intergroup tension. Our findings suggest that normative influence can vary even across relations of one group toward distinct outgroups, being potentially less pronounced in relatively newly formed, interminority relations.