Strong links found between prejudice and support for political violence in the U.S.
A new study links prejudice to support for political violence in the U.S., with strong ties found across various forms of bias.
Why it matters
- Highlights a concerning link between prejudice and justification of political violence.
- Understanding this connection can help prevent political violence.
By the numbers
- Survey of 9,385 U.S. adults.
- 19.5% strongly endorsed racist beliefs.
- 16.9% strongly endorsed transphobic beliefs.
- Strong Islamophobic views linked to a 50% higher likelihood of justifying political violence.
The big picture
- Prejudice is strongly tied to support for political violence.
- Generalized hostility ("allophobia") shows an even stronger link to violent attitudes.
What they're saying
- Some commenters note findings align with current political climate.
- Others question if prejudice towards political parties was considered.
Caveats
- Study based on self-reported attitudes, not actual behavior.
- Cross-sectional design limits causal inferences.
What’s next
- Explore interventions to uncouple hostile beliefs from violent behaviors.
- Consider policy changes in firearm permitting processes.