A PERCEPÇÃO DE AMEAÇA NA LEGITIMAÇÃO DA DISCRIMINAÇÃO CONTRA IMIGRANTES CHINESES

Abstract

Although not a new phenomenon, discrimination against Chinese immigrants, and Asians in general, became more frequent during the COVID-19 pandemic, reinforcing the importance of understanding the mechanisms involved in this discrimination. We conducted three studies to analyze the role of perceived threat in the relationship between prejudice and support for discriminatory policies against Chinese immigrants. In Study 1 (N = 383), we measured prejudice, perceived threat and support for discriminatory policies against Chinese immigrants. The results showed that perceptions of economic, symbolic and health threats mediated the relationship between prejudice and support for discrimination. In Study 2 (N = 260), we manipulated societal prejudice and found an effect of this manipulation on the perception of threat and support for discrimination, in addition to having replicated the mediating effect of the perception of threat. In Study 3 (N = 330), we manipulated the threat posed by Chinese immigrants and observed the effects of economic and security threats on support for discrimination, but these effects disappeared when we controlled the effect of prejudice. In general, results indicate that the perception of threat mediates the relationship between prejudice and support for discrimination against Chinese immigrants, which aligns with the literature on the role of the threat in legitimizing this discrimination