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Amidst increasing globalization and religious diversity, acknowledging and embracing openness towards religious and/or cultural others has become crucial for societal cohesion and international relations. Theological scholars, holding significant potential in mitigating inter-religious and intercultural prejudices, can play a pivotal role in addressing this challenge. However, it is acknowledged that theologians themselves may harbor such biases. This study, conducted within the framework of the Religious Openness Hypothesis, employed an online questionnaire among theology students, seen as future multipliers of religiosity, in Germany and Turkey (N = 513) using convenience sampling. The results reveal the consistent relation of religiosity to all forms of prejudice among German Christians, with a linked defense against secularism potentially leading to self-isolation and the protection of their own worldview against religious or cultural outgroups. In contrast, the (generally high) prejudice among Turkish Muslims appears to be rooted not primarily in religiosity or defense against secularism but in fundamentalism and, most likely, in other socio-cultural factors such as politics and education. For both subsamples, religiosity was positively linked with xenosophia, particularly when accounting for fundamentalism. The article concludes by proposing curriculum implications for universities and schools in both cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xenophobia denotes prejudice towards those perceived as foreign. I examined trends in xenophobia according to age, time period, and birth cohort, using population-based data of Germans (ALLBUS, N = 20,023), aged 18 to 97 years, spanning a time period from 1996–2016. I found that xenophobia increased strongly with age and decreased, to a lesser extent, over time periods. Additionally, there were robust U-shaped birth cohort effects, such that younger cohorts born after 1970 expressed increasingly higher levels of xenophobia. Therefore, xenophobia in Germany seemed to decrease across time periods for the whole population, but increased in more recent cohorts, who might thus express more prejudice than previous generations. Future studies should investigate the mechanisms that contribute to these trends and the generalizability of the observed cohort effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bruneau's work repeatedly focused on the Roma minority, worldwide, one of the most dehumanized ethnic groups. In a preregistered design, we replicated one of his previous studies (Bruneau et al., 2020) in a different national context (i.e., Germany) in testing the hypotheses that preservice teachers make biased educational-track recommendations discriminating against Romani students and that infrahumanization drives this behavior. In line with Bruneau et al.'s (2020) work, preservice teachers judged placing self-identified Romani students into lower educational tracks as more appropriate than self-identified Turkish-origin and German students, despite equal academic performance. Although participants infrahumanized Romani students at greater levels compared to non-Romani students, in contrast to the Bruneau et al.'s (2020) study, educational-track recommendations were positively associated with affective prejudice but not with infrahumanization. These findings extend Bruneau's insights on dehumanization, prejudice, and discrimination against people of Romani background, highlighting the role of the social context in which these associations are studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a person-centered approach, the constellations of internal motivation and external motivation to respond without prejudice within individuals are examined, and how these relate to directly and indirectly reported levels of prejudice. Using latent profile analysis, we identified four subgroups of motivated individuals among large national samples of majority members in Germany (N = 1745) and in the Netherlands (N = 1645). With one exception, these subgroups differed in the proportion of prejudiced individuals as well as the average level of self-reported prejudice. Our findings make a contribution to the literature by highlighting the importance of considering how internal and external motivations are organized within individuals for understanding their prejudicial responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The criteria-oriented assessment of the population with a migration background that is common in Germany is currently being criticized from a social science and methodological perspective, among others. In particular, its usefulness as an indicator of perceived discrimination against the population with a migration background can be critically questioned based on the current state of research METHOD: Based on a population-representative data set (N=1,989) for the city of Berlin, the subjective perception of a migration background based on self-attribution and anticipated external attribution of a migration background was recorded in addition to the objective assessment of a migration background. Furthermore, socio-demographic and migration-specific characteristics as well as perceived discrimination were assessed. Using descriptive and inferential statistical methods, differences between the objective and subjective assessment of a migration background and their relationship with perceived discrimination were analyzed., Results: Less than half (38%, 154/400) of the respondents identified as having a migrant background using the criterion-oriented approach reported describing themselves as migrants. 36% (144/405) reported that they believed that others in Germany described them as a person with a migrantion background. Respondents with a migration background are significantly more likely to experience discrimination on grounds of skin color, religion or country of origin compared to respondents without a migration background. Furthermore, it was found that both the self-attribution and the anticipated attribution by others as a migrant are positively associated with experiences of discrimination and racism., Discussion: The results suggest that migration-sensitive research should not simply differentiate between people with and without a migration background according to official criteria. Rather, the subjective perceptions of one's own attribution as a migrant seem more suitable as indicators of discrimination and should be taken into account in future research or surveys on experiences of discrimination., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Although schools have been described as an important socialization context for the development of intergroup attitudes, longitudinal multilevel studies are still rare within this field. This 3-wave study (with annual assessments) of German adolescents (N = 1292; Mage = 13.86; 51.8% female) examined the role of school experiences (perceived multicultural education, supportive peer relations in class, democratic classroom climate) in the development of youth's negative attitudes toward immigrants. Longitudinal multilevel analyses revealed that a democratic classroom climate predicted youth's attitudes at the individual level. At the classroom level class-average perceptions of a democratic classroom climate, supportive peer relations in class, and multicultural education (the latter solely among male, higher track students) were associated with less negative attitudes toward immigrants. In addition, age moderated the effect of school experiences on attitudes, showing that perceptions of a democratic climate at the classroom level mattered in particular among older adolescents. The findings suggest that school experiences are related to youth's negative attitudes toward immigrants and can therefore help to reduce the risk of prejudice development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines what may constitute both positive and negative attitudes towards Muslims that we may predict from the scale of our knowledge, fashionable or well worn. In other words, are negative attitudes towards Muslim strongly correlated with false beliefs. The research was part of a larger study examining the attitudes of 424 non-Muslim German students in Freiburg and five other universities in Germany. The results show that participants who spontaneously communicated false beliefs and had low level of knowledge expressed more negative attitudes towards Muslims than those who did not. It is thus conceivable that accepting incorrect information may be shaping negative attitudes toward Muslims. On the basis of the findings we are only able to conclude there is a bi-directional relationship between prejudice and the degree of knowledge, or cultural perception of Muslims amongst tertiary educated students, however there is no evidence of causation or level of significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trait justice sensitivity captures individual differences in the tendency to perceive injustice and to negatively respond to these perceptions. The tendency to negatively respond to injustice to one's disadvantage (victim justice sensitivity) was reliably linked to different measures of antisocial behavior and conservative values. Thus, we assumed that victim justice sensitivity should also be positively related to prejudice and discrimination. In contrast, the tendency to negatively respond to injustice to the disadvantage of others (altruistic justice sensitivity), was reliably linked to prosocial behavior. Hence, we assumed that altruistic justice sensitivity should also show negative relations with prejudice and discrimination. In order to test these assumptions, we surveyed justice sensitivity, prejudices against three different groups, and discrimination experiences among N=343 participants (M=26.61 years, 79 percent women) in Germany. We found that victim justice sensitivity predicted more self-perpetrated discrimination. Altruistic justice sensitivity predicted less total prejudice and self-perpetrated discrimination and mediated the link between self-experienced discrimination and prejudice/self-perpetrated discrimination unless age, gender, and education were controlled for. Discrimination can promote discrimination. Future research on correlates and potential risk and protective factors of prejudice and discrimination should also consider justice sensitivity as a moral-related trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrorist attacks often fuel online hate and increase the expression of xenophobic and antiminority messages. Previous research has focused on the impact of terrorist attacks on prejudiced attitudes toward groups linked to the perpetrators as the cause of this increase. We argue that social norms can contain the expression of prejudice after the attacks. We report the results of a combination of a natural and a laboratory-in-the-field (lab-inthe-field) experiment in which we exploit data collected about the occurrence of two consecutive Islamist terrorist attacks in Germany, the Wü rzburg and Ansbach attacks, in July 2016. The experiment compares the effect of the terrorist attacks in hate speech toward refugees in contexts where a descriptive norm against the use of hate speech is evidently in place to contexts in which the norm is ambiguous because participants observe antiminority comments. Hate toward refugees, but not toward other minority groups, increased as a result of the attacks only in the absence of a strong norm. These results imply that attitudinal changes due to terrorist attacks are more likely to be voiced if norms erode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prejudices against the unemployed pose an enormous threat to their self-confidence and can make it difficult for them to re-enter the labour market, resulting in further long-term unemployment. Given these high costs for the unemployed and for society as a whole, our knowledge of prejudices against the unemployed is surprisingly scarce. We focus on the question of what determines the strength of prejudice among employees. By applying social identity theory, we assume that people who are disadvantaged in the labour market in general, also hold stronger prejudices. In addition, we assume that social status mediates this association and that self-efficacy moderates it. We use data from the German panel study "Labour Market and Social Security" (PASS) and show that some groups of people who are themselves disadvantaged in the labour market (women and first-generation immigrants) have more prejudices against the unemployed; however, people with poor mental health have even fewer prejudices. Low social status (in terms of educational background, income, and job status) is associated with strong prejudices; however, social status does work as mediator to a minor degree only. People with low self-efficacy in general (main "effect") and first-generation immigrants in particular (moderating "effect") have stronger prejudices. These results can be a starting point for developing measures to reduce prejudice and for the onset of a debate about the origins of prejudices against the unemployed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the proportion of the population with a migrant background has increased in the Federal Republic of Germany. We investigated whether young German police officers hold xenophobic attitudes at the beginning of their bachelor studies and how intercultural competence and communication training modules affect the development of those attitudes. In a 4-year longitudinal study, we assessed police officers’ xenophobic attitudes at the beginning of the first academic year, after basic study (year 1), after main study (year 2), and within the first year of professional practice (year 4). There was a significant decrease in xenophobic attitudes within the 3 years of professional education, followed by a slight increase within the first year of professional practice. Throughout the 4-year period, xenophobic attitudes decreased significantly, pointing to the effectiveness of the training modules integrated into the bachelor program and to the necessity to continue intercultural training within police departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a migration context, we analyzed interaction effects of positive and negative extended contact and between valenced-extended and valenced-direct contact on prejudice in the acculturation process between host society members and refugees. Two studies analyzed relations between valenced-extended contact and prejudice in German majority group members (N = 389, Study 1) and refugees (N = 816, Study 2). Regression models tested valenced-extended contact effects, interactions between valenced-extended contacts, and moderation by valenced-direct contact. Interaction analyses showed significant interactions between valenced-extended contact experiences in both samples. Furthermore, analyses showed that positive direct contact can facilitate prejudice reduction through positive extended contact in majority group members and buffers the relation between positive extended contact and lower levels of prejudice in minority group members. Negative direct contact was found to be positively associated with prejudice through negative extended contact but was unable to affect the relations between positive extended contact and lower levels of prejudice. Interactions between positive and negative extended contact and their interactions with valenced-direct contact are significantly associated with prejudice in majority and minority group members. Valenced-direct contact can facilitate or buffer the effects of valenced-extended contact and interactions have a significant impact on prejudice especially if valence of contact experiences is matched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, adolescents are growing up in multiethnic multicultural societies. While intergroup prejudice can threaten the multicultural societal cohesion, intergroup friendships are strong predictors of reduced prejudice. Thus, more research is needed to fully understand the development of intergroup friendships and their relations to less prejudicial attitudes. This study addressed two major developmental research questions: first, whether longitudinal patterns of intergroup friendships of native adolescents (i.e., whether or not a native German adolescent has a friendship with an immigrant at different points in time) relate to changes in rates of prejudice about immigrants. Second, whether these friendship patterns that unfold over time can be predicted by contact opportunities, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control assessed at the beginning of the study. The sample included 372 native German adolescents (14.7 years of age at first assessment, 62.3 % girls) who showed one of four friendship trajectories over the three annual assessments: they either maintained, gained, never had, or lost a friendship with an outgroup peer. In particular, results showed that adolescents who gained an intergroup friendship over the three time points showed a significant decrease in negative prejudice over the study. All four theorized predictors contributed to explain friendship trajectory membership. Generally, adolescents with many opportunities for contact, positive attitudes about contact, perceived positive social norms for contact, and high levels of behavioral control (self-efficacy) were more likely to maintain a friendship with an outgroup member than to follow any of the three other friendship trajectories (gain, lost, or never had). The pattern of predictions differed, however, depending on the specific pairs of friendship trajectories compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why and under which conditions do people employ ethnic categories rather than others (such as age, class, gender, and so on) to conceptually organize their social environment? This article analyses an open-ended question on who is seen as responsible for neighbourhood problems taken from a recently conducted large-scale survey in Germany. By doing so, this study tries to give novel insight on native Germans' use of ethnic folk classifications and aims to identify contextual factors that might explain why people characterize problem-groups in ethnic terms. This article shows that drunkards, the elderly and especially teenagers are seen as problem-groups more frequently than any ethnic minority. Conditions of economic decline and out-group size are analysed as to whether they are associated with a higher likelihood of using ethnic categories. The findings suggest that the effects of out-group size are diminishing in their impact, whereas the effects of economic decline are accumulating in strength. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present research examined effects of exposure to the German flag on outgroup prejudice in Germany. In agreement with social identity theory, we demonstrated that exposure to the German flag increased outgroup prejudice among highly nationalistic German respondents. This finding seems to contradict prior research illustrating that exposure to the US flag reduced outgroup prejudice among highly nationalistic American respondents. This contradiction is considered the result of various concepts Germans associate with the German flag compared to concepts Americans associate with the US flag. Practical implications for flag exposure are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent urban scholarship celebrates the increased cultural and ethnic diversity of contemporary cities as promoting conviviality and intercultural sensibilities. The contact hypothesis and immigrant integration policies drawing on it similarly stress the importance of increased face-to-face contact for reducing inter-group prejudice and conflict. Drawing on ethnographic research in eastern Berlin, this paper examines spaces of encounters between local residents and recent immigrants and their potential for decreasing negative stereotypes, prejudice, and conflict. We find that contact between Russian Aussiedler and local German residents in public and quasi-public spaces remains fleeting, often reinforcing pre-existing stereotypes. Local immigrant integration projects, despite their intentions of increasing contact between migrant and non-migrant residents, often fail to provide opportunities for deeper contact. On the other hand, sustained and close encounters are enabled in spaces of neighborhood community centers, where immigrants and native residents work side-by-side on common projects. These sustained encounters engender more empathy and positive attitudes toward individual immigrants but these are not scaled up to the group, contradicting claims of recent contact theorists. We suggest that scholars and integration practitioners be cautious of overoptimistic assumptions about how encounters across difference can contribute to decreasing resentment and interethnic conflict, as these are underwritten by much broader processes of marginalization and deeply entrenched unequal power relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three experiments were conducted in the United States and Germany to test whether women and men endorse sexist beliefs because they are unaware of the prevalence of different types of sexism in their personal lives. Study 1 (N = 120) and Study 2 (N = 83) used daily diaries as a method to encourage individuals “to see the unseen.” Results revealed that encouraging women to pay attention to sexism, in comparison to attention to other social interactions, led to a stronger rejection of Modern Sexist, Neosexist, and Benevolent Sexist beliefs (Studies 1 and 2) and to negative evaluations of Modern and Benevolent Sexist men described in profiles as well as to more engagement in collective action on behalf of women (Study 2). In contrast, for men, paying attention to sexism did not have these effects. Results from Study 2 suggest, and from Study 3 (N = 141) confirm, that men’s endorsement of Modern and Neosexist beliefs can be reduced if attention to sexism and emotional empathy for the target of discrimination is encouraged. Finally, a follow-up survey indicated that the attitude change in women and men was stable over time. The implications of these findings for interventions to reduce women’s versus men’s endorsement of sexist beliefs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present research examines the interplay between individual differences in need for structure, social beliefs, and gender. It is well documented that need for structure, that is, a preference for structure and simplicity in one's thinking, predicts authoritarianism and ethnocentrism. Further, women tend to score lower in authoritarianism and ethnocentrism than men. Although there seem to be no gender differences in need for structure, the present research hypothesizes that the association between need for structure and social beliefs is stronger for men than for women. This hypothesis comes from the observation that, all else being equal, men tend to think more about the domain of beliefs such as authoritarianism and ethnocentrism, which should strengthen the relationship between men's cognitive needs and their social beliefs. The hypothesis is also motivated by the finding that, more than men, women often give priority to caring and compassion when forming beliefs about outgroups. This should weaken the link between women's cognitive needs and their social beliefs. Three studies conducted in the USA (n = 398) and one study conducted in Germany (n = 112) examined whether gender moderated the influence of need for structure on authoritarianism and racism. Using a variety of measures, need for structure predicted authoritarianism and racism for men, but not for women. The discussion focuses on the implications of the present findings for the relationship between cognitive orientations and social beliefs. It is argued that research on cognitive orientation and social beliefs needs to take gender into account to improve its accuracy of prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are small or large outgroup populations more closely related to an ingroup's prejudice? This paper addresses this question with national probability survey data from Germany focused on resident foreigners. Two interlocking processes underlie the complex relationship between population proportions and prejudice. Typically, larger outgroup population proportions simultaneously increase both threat and intergroup contact. The first process increases prejudice, the second decreases it. Using structural equation modelling, our analysis reveals that these two processes can be effectively combined into one complex model. Threat is perceptual; it involves what people think is the outgroup proportion and thus can be easily manipulated by political leaders and the mass media. Contact is experiential; it can reduce individual and collective threat as well as prejudice. The intricate relationship between threat and contact can be substantially altered by numerous moderators. Hence, rigid group segregation can limit contact, while unemployment can amplify threat. The paper provides evidence that reductions in prejudice have important consequences for intergroup relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Turk image in the German child songs. The Turk image in the German child songs has tried to be determined here. Especially in the light of the general research upon the Turk image in the German culture we could conclude that ethnical stereotypes, especially negative characterization. is mostly connected to a problematic self-image. Through this article we would like to voice the urgency of overcoming prejudices reflecting the subconscious of the society. Stereotypes and prejudices always mean isolation; the goal must be of overcoming borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Migraciones is the property of Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Instituto Universitario de Estudios sobre Migraciones and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Surveys show that respondents from East Germany consistently show higher levels of ethnic prejudice than respondents from West Germany. Comparable differences can be found in statistics on crimes and violence against ethnic minority members. On the basis of three surveys (ALLBUS, 1996, N= 2893; Shell Youth Study (Deutsche Shell), 2000, N= 3560; and our own survey of school students, N= 769), the hypothesis that this difference can be largely explained by contrasting interethnic contact opportunities and experiences is tested and supported. Demographic data show that living in the Eastern or Western part of Germany offers differential opportunities for contact with foreigners. Structural equation analyses reveal that this difference, in turn, influences the number of foreigners in the neighborhood or classroom. As a consequence of these varying opportunities for contact, respondents report marked differences in more intimate and personal contact--such as having foreign friends or experiencing contact of personal importance. Foreign friends and importance of contact proved to be the relevant proximal contact variables that reduce ethnic prejudice. Beyond the German context, these results point to a more inclusive model of intergroup relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is often assumed that, in Western societies, Christian values are embedded in national identities, yet, the association between religious identities and prejudice has seldom been studied in parallel to national identity. According to both the social identity theory approach and integrated threat theory, group identification is important for perceiving threats and expressing corresponding attitudes. Nevertheless, their independent roles on intergroup outcomes have often been ignored, although they are two of the most salient and important identities when considering support for religious minority rights. We address this gap in research by looking at the associations of religious identity with support for religious minority rights in general and Muslims in particular in parallel to national identity through diversity threat. This study was conducted among the members of majority groups in four Western countries: Australia, Finland, Germany, and Norway (N = 1,532), all of which are characterised as traditionally Christian. We found that a higher religious identification was associated with greater support for religious minority rights in general and for those of Muslims in particular, while national identification had no direct association with support for either groups' religious rights. However, both group identifications were also associated with heightened perceived diversity threat, which in turn, predicted reluctance to support religious minority rights. This demonstrates the dual role that religious identities may play in intergroup relations., (© 2021 The Authors. British Journal of Social Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.)

Objective: We present a German version of the Prejudice towards People with Mental Illness Scale in long (PPMI-D L ) and short form (PPMI-D K ) and provide a psychometric evaluation in a German population sample., Methods: After German translation (including back-translation), an online survey (N = 1004) was conducted., Results: Item difficulty and selectivity are in the desirable medium range. Internal consistencies are high to excellent (PPMI-D L : α = 0.919; PPMI-D K : α = 0.872) in the overall scale. Confirmatory factor analyses confirm the 4 subscales of the original scale. Medium correlations are found with authoritarian attitudes (KSA-3) and low negative correlations with social desirability (KSE-G). Norm values for the PPMI subscales are reported., Conclusion: The PPMI-D can be used in German-speaking countries to survey prejudice towards people with mental illness., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Discrimination and prejudice against overweight people is common in Western societies. In this article we aim to understand whether these attitudes reverberate into the school setting, by investigating whether teachers grade overweight students more severely than comparable normal weight students. By relying on the Attribution-Value Model of Prejudice (AVMP) and previous studies, we test a series of hypotheses using data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS SC3) on a sample of students enrolled in the 7th grade (lower secondary education). We used hierarchical ordered logit regression to assess whether overweight and obese students receive systematically lower grades by their teachers in German and mathematics, adjusting for subject-specific competences measured with a standardized test, and a rich set of socio-demographic and socio-psychological students' characteristics (e.g. the "big five"). Results suggested that overweight and obese students were more severely graded in both subjects. The penalty for overweight students, and especially for obese students, was slightly larger in German and in the lowest part of the grade distribution. There was also indication of heterogeneous penalties by gender, with overweight male students being especially penalized in math. Possible ways to help teachers in assigning grades in a fairer way are discussed at the end., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

This article provides an examination of the structure of Islamophobia across cultures. Our novel measure-the Tripartite Islamophobia Scale (TIS)-embeds three theoretically and statistically grounded subcomponents of Islamophobia: anti-Muslim prejudice, anti-Islamic sentiment, and conspiracy beliefs. Across six samples (i.e., India, Poland, Germany, France, and the United States), preregistered analyses corroborated that these three subcomponents are statistically distinct. Measurement invariance analyses indicated full scalar invariance, suggesting that the tripartite understanding of Islamophobia is generalizable across cultural contexts. Furthermore, the subcomponents were partially dissociated in terms of the intergroup emotions they are predicted by as well as the intergroup outcomes they predict (e.g., dehumanization, ethnic persecution). For example, intergroup anger and disgust underpin Islamophobic attitudes, over and above the impact of fear. Finally, our results show that social dominance orientation (SDO) and ingroup identification moderate intergroup emotions and Islamophobia. We address both theoretical implications for the nature of Islamophobia and practical interventions to reduce it.

Article 8 of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities requires governments around the globe to raise awareness on issues of disability in their societies, combatting stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices. Little comparative data is available on lay people's social representations of intellectual disability and associated stigma, which could inform actions in line with the convention. The present study compared intellectual disability literacy and stigma among adults in the general population in the UK, Austria and Germany (N = 1046), and examined the effects of providing an intellectual disability label on these outcomes. Although participants came from highly developed European countries and prior contact with people with intellectual disabilities was common, the findings pointed to some striking differences between countries. Participants in Austria and Germany were much less likely than those in the UK to identify symptoms of a possible intellectual disability in an unlabelled vignette. They were also much more hostile towards social contact, a difference that was maintained when participants were informed of the intellectual disability label. Labelling showed controversial effects on stigma, both in its effects on social distance and on beliefs about suitable causes and interventions. Overall, the social acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities appears to be much less advanced in Austria and Germany than in the UK, and awareness of intellectual disability much lower, indicating a need for action at societal level., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The low employment rates of persons with Autism Spectrum Conditions in the European Union (EU) are partly due to discrimination. Member States have taken different approaches to increase the employment rate in the recent decades, including quota and anti-discrimination legislation, however, the implications for people with autism are unknown. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the history of these employment policies, from seven EU Member States (Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom [prior to exit], Slovakia, Poland, and Romania), exploring the interdependence on international and EU policies, using a path dependency analysis. The results indicate that internationally a shift in focus has taken place in the direction of anti-discrimination law, though employment quotas remained in place in six out of the seven Member States as a means to address employment of people with disability in combination with the new anti-discrimination laws. LAY SUMMARY: Discrimination is partially responsible for the low employment of people with autism. Several approaches have been taken in recent years, such as anti-discrimination laws and setting a mandatory number of people with disabilities that need to be employed. This study finds that, internationally and in the European Union, the focus was initially on the use of quotas and gradually moved to anti-discrimination, with both being used simultaneously. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1397-1417. © 2020 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2020 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Research exploring mechanisms driving inequalities in school systems has found that biased teacher judgements contribute to observed disadvantages for ethnic minority students. Teacher judgements may be driven by explicit and implicit attitudes., Aims: The current research explored the effect of cultural diversity at schools (actual or imagined) on teachers' attitudes towards ethnic minority students., Samples: One hundred and five preservice teachers (90 female) with a mean age of 26.20 years (teaching experience: 57.55 weeks) participated in Study 1. Two hundred and thirty-one teachers (159 female) with a mean age of 41.00 years (teaching experience: 12.92 years) participated in Study 2., Method: Cultural diversity was operationalized via a fictive description of a school (Study 1) or via the actual proportion of ethnic minority students at the school (Study 2). An Implicit Association Test assessed implicit attitudes towards ethnic minority students. Explicit attitudes were assessed via questionnaire., Results: Preservice teachers imagining a more culturally diverse school held more negative implicit attitudes towards ethnic minority students than those imagining a less diverse school. In contrast, in-service teachers actually working in more diverse schools held less negative implicit attitudes towards minority students. Preservice teachers associated teaching in culturally diverse schools with increased effort, whereas in-service teachers actually working in culturally diverse schools reported more enthusiasm towards teaching ethnic minority students., Conclusions: This research shows the challenge and the negative stereotypes preservice teachers associate with culturally diverse schools, while in-service teachers' negative associations may be buffered by the actual experience of working with ethnic minority students., (© 2018 The British Psychological Society.)

The notion that ethnic and religious minority identities are inherently incompatible with the national identities of European immigrant-receiving societies is popular in public discourse. Although findings documenting such negative associations seemingly support this claim, other research shows that the intergroup context matters for the extent to which minorities' ethnic and religious identities are conflicting (i.e., negatively associated) or compatible (i.e., positively associated) with European national identities. However, previous research relied on cross-sectional data and therefore could not capture the dynamic process through which minority youth come to develop compatible or conflicting identification patterns. We extend this work with a longitudinal approach by capturing developmental trajectories of identity multiplicity among ethnic minority early adolescents in Germany over three waves with 9-month intervals. At each measurement point, participants reported their ethnic, religious, and (German) national identification and their experiences with discriminatory treatment. We estimate a cross-lagged panel model to study how identification relates to perceived discrimination and how this affects (changes in) associations between ethnic, religious, and national identification of minority youth. Our results show prevalent positive associations between ethnic, religious, and national identification across minority youth in the sample. Those who report more frequent discrimination, however, lower their (German) national identification over time, which in turn predicts increased minority identification. We conclude that identity threat indeed triggers a development of more conflicting identification patterns., (© 2019 The Authors. British Journal of Social Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.)

Objective: With the growing prevalence of overweight and obesity, medical students should be prepared to engage in weight management and obesity-related communications in order to prevent patients from having stigmatising experiences. In addition, medical students should have training to reduce anti-fat prejudices., Design: Cross-sectional proof of concept study., Setting: University Hospital Tuebingen, Germany., Participants: 246 participants (207 second-year medical students, 13 standardised patients (SPs) and 22 teachers) took part in the study., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was the assessment of degree of reality of the encounter with the SP wearing an obesity simulation suit (OSS). The secondary outcome was the evaluation of students' awareness and prejudice against patients with obesity in a simulated role play. Additionally, a description of the advantages and disadvantages when using such a teaching tool is delivered., Results: The OSS contributed to a realistic perception of the patient group depicted in a role play according to students, teachers and SPs. OSS body mass index estimation by students, teachers and SPs correctly was over 30 kg/m 2 -thus in the range of obesity. In a selected subscale of the Anti-Fat Attitudes Test, students showed significantly stronger anti-fat stigmatisation compared with teachers and SPs., Conclusions: An OSS worn by an SP is a valuable teaching tool to raise awareness about patients with obesity. It gives a realistic picture of the encounter. Stigmatisation was low in general but was especially present in the students. Further research should include intervention studies to address this issue., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Intergroup contact can improve majority members' perception of minorities. Integrating the intergroup contact hypothesis with the stereotype content model and BIAS-Map, we hypothesized that positive intergroup contact improves German majority members' evaluations of asylum seekers on the warmth and competence dimensions. Using cross-sectional survey data and structural equation modelling, we found support for this hypothesis (Study 1a, N = 182). Warmth and competence perceptions, in turn, predicted specific intergroup emotions (Study 1b, N = 255). A causal effect of intergroup contact on changes in stereotype content, emotions, and solidarity-based collective action intentions as an important facilitative behavioural intention debated in the intergroup contact literature is established with experimental data (Study 2, N = 74). Participants interacting with an asylum seeker rated asylum seekers higher on warmth and specific intergroup emotions and were more supportive of solidarity-based collective actions in favour of asylum seekers. Our study demonstrates that contact has differential effects on cognitive, affective, and behavioural components of prejudice towards asylum seekers that are systematically linked., (© 2018 The British Psychological Society.)

Within psychiatric institutions it is common to label psychiatric patients with a broad array of technical terms from different domains. However, through their nonreflective usage technical terms gradually become "fuzzy" in content, enriched with normative evaluations and finally reificated as "real" entities. This evolvement of meaning may foster a schematic and biased understanding of mental patients, threaten the validity of psychiatric diagnoses and negatively influence the therapeutic process. Becoming familiar with the underlying cognitive mechanisms, frequent supervision and the provision of context factors that permit the development of a close therapeutic alliance can help to alleviate these potential dangers to efficient psychiatric therapy., Competing Interests: Interessenkonflikt: Die Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Five studies tested whether intergroup contact reduces negative outgroup attitudes through a process of ingroup distancing. Based on the deprovincialization hypothesis and Social Dominance Theory, we hypothesized that the indirect effect of cross-group friendship on outgroup attitudes via reduced ingroup identification is moderated by individuals' Social Dominance Orientation (SDO), and occurs only for members of high status majority groups. We tested these predictions in three different intergroup contexts, involving conflictual relations between social groups in Germany (Study 1; N = 150; longitudinal Study 2: N = 753), Northern Ireland (Study 3: N = 160; Study 4: N = 1,948), and England (Study 5; N = 594). Cross-group friendship was associated with reduced ingroup identification and the link between reduced ingroup identification and improved outgroup attitudes was moderated by SDO (the indirect effect of cross-group friendship on outgroup attitudes via reduced ingroup only occurred for individuals scoring high, but not low, in SDO). Although there was a consistent moderating effect of SDO in high-status majority groups (Studies 1-5), but not low-status minority groups (Studies 3, 4, and 5), the interaction by SDO was not reliably stronger in high- than low-status groups. Findings are discussed in terms of better understanding deprovincialization effects of contact.

The distinction between bridging and bonding associations is a cornerstone of social capital research. Nevertheless, this study is the first to provide a direct test of the socialization mechanism that supposedly causes ethnically mixed (bridging) associations to generate interethnic tolerance and trust, and homogenous (bonding) associations to cement self-affirming identities. This multilevel analysis of the Citizenship, Involvement & Democracy (CID) 1999/2000 survey data on Mannheim (Germany), Enschede (the Netherlands), and Aberdeen (Scotland) covers 3166 active participants in 645 associations. The CID includes objective, exogenous measures of each association's composition and aim. Socialization and self-selection effects are pulled apart through interactions with detailed measures of associational involvement. The results display no evidence for (diverse and homogenous) associations as socializing agents. Although inter-ethnic tolerance is higher in ethnically diverse associations, this should be attributed to self-selection effects., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study quantified genetic and environmental roots of variance in prejudice and discriminatory intent toward foreign nationals and examined potential mediators of these genetic influences: right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), social dominance orientation (SDO), and narrow-sense xenophobia (NSX). In line with the dual process motivational (DPM) model, we predicted that the two basic attitudinal and motivational orientations-RWA and SDO-would account for variance in out-group prejudice and discrimination. In line with other theories, we expected that NSX as an affective component would explain additional variance in out-group prejudice and discriminatory intent. Data from 1,397 individuals (incl. twins as well as their spouses) were analyzed. Univariate analyses of twins' and spouses' data yielded genetic (incl. contributions of assortative mating) and multiple environmental sources (i.e., social homogamy, spouse-specific, and individual-specific effects) of variance in negativity toward strangers. Multivariate analyses suggested an extension to the DPM model by including NSX in addition to RWA and SDO as predictor of prejudice and discrimination. RWA and NSX primarily mediated the genetic influences on the variance in prejudice and discriminatory intent toward foreign nationals. In sum, the findings provide the basis of a behavioral genetic framework integrating different scientific disciplines for the study of negativity toward out-groups.

Objective: How did the work of four school coaches in five Saxonian schools influence children's and adolescents' psychosocial development?, Methods: At three points in time, students at intervention (N = 292) and control schools (N = 300) were evaluated concerning their social distance towards mentally ill people and their help-seeking behavior in case of crisis. The survey also included teachers (N = 323) and parents (N = 370). Data analysis was done descriptively and with random effects models., Results: The social distance of the intervention schools declined significantly compared to the control schools. Having heard or read about mental illnesses, or personally knowing somebody affected by mental illness, led to less social distance and more empathy. Information increased the confidence to receive help from a professional consultant. Friends and family were the main reference groups. The school coaches were accepted as confidential persons and helped with school and private issues., Conclusion: The school coaches' work showed positive influence on all members of the school system., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

The role of referees has become a central issue in the investigation of home advantage. The main aim of this study was a thorough examination of the referee bias concerning injury time in football, which is currently seen as an important example for the assertion that referees contribute to home advantage. First, we use archival data from the German Bundesliga (seasons 2000/2001-2010/2011) to confirm the existence of an asymmetry in the allocation of injury time. We show this asymmetry to be a bias by ruling out hitherto remaining alternative explanations (effect = 18 s, P < 0.001, R2(adj) = 0.05). Second, we identify a further referee bias, stating that referees systematically accord more injury time when one team leads in the game compared to a draw (effect = 21 s, P = 0.004, R2(adj) = 0.06). Third, the quantitative benefit of home or away teams in goals and points due to these biases is assessed. Overall, referee decisions on injury time indeed reveal biases, but they do not contribute to the home advantage, that is, there is no significant effect on goals scored by the teams. The qualitative findings (a new bias on injury time) as well as the quantitative findings (no overall effect) shed new light on the role of referees for home advantage.

Objective: Discrimination is an important determinant of health, and its experience may contribute to the emergence of health inequalities between immigrants and nonimmigrants. We examine pathways between perceived discrimination and health among immigrants in Germany: (1) whether perceptions of discrimination predict self-reported mental and physical health (SF-12), or (2) whether poor mental and physical health predict perceptions of discrimination, and (3) whether discrimination affects physical health via mental health., Design: Data on immigrants come from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) from the years 2002 to 2010 (N = 8,307), a large national panel survey. Random and fixed effects regression models have been estimated., Results: Perceptions of discrimination affect mental and physical health. The effect of perceived discrimination on physical health is mediated by its effect on mental health. Our analyses do not support the notion that mental and physical health predict the subsequent reporting of discrimination. Different immigrant groups are differentially exposed to perceived discrimination., Conclusion: In spite of anti-discrimination laws, the health of immigrants in Germany is negatively affected by perceived discrimination. Differential exposure to perceived discrimination may be seen as a mechanism contributing to the emergence of health inequalities in Germany.

Building on theorizing in social and political philosophy the article illuminates the phenomenology of respect and examines its role in intergroup relations. The particular focus is on members of the gay and lesbian community in Germany, their respect experiences, and how these experiences relate to their attitudes towards Muslims. We predicted and found that the experience of being respected in society primarily reflected perceived recognition of gays and lesbians as equal members of society. In addition, we predicted and found that perceived respect from the Muslim community was negatively related to anti-Muslim attitude among gays and lesbians. The same was true for perceived respect from society at large. More specifically, respondents who felt respected by the majority of society showed lower levels of anti-Muslim attitude and, in line with the dominant status of perceived equality recognition in the experience of being respected, this decrease was fully mediated via an increase in perceived equality recognition., (© 2012 The British Psychological Society.)

Objective: There is a lack of empirical studies focusing on mental health in Jews from former Soviet Union in Germany. The influence of discrimination and religiosity on symptoms of depression and anxiety was investigated., Methods: 110 elderly Jews living in Leipzig and Halle/Saale were asked to fill out a questionnaire including information about their immigration background (length of stay, age at migration, and country of origin), perceived discrimination, religiosity and level of integration. Depression and anxiety were assessed with PHQ-4. Linear regressions were applied as statistical tests., Results: Participants who live alone and report higher level of perceived discrimination indicate higher anxiety and depression scores. Length of stay is positively associated with anxiety, as well as religiosity with symptoms of depression., Conclusions: Some results are similar to the findings of others international studies, some other findings underline the specificity of the target group. The influence of discrimination has been demonstrated, implications for further investigation, especially with attention to the integration of older Jews from former Soviet Union in Germany are given., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Objective: The health care setting has been reported to be one main source of weight stigma repeatedly; however, studies comparing different professions have been lacking., Methods: 682 health care professionals (HCP) of a large German university hospital were asked to fill out a questionnaire on stigmatizing attitudes, perceived causes of obesity, and work-related impact of obesity. Stigmatizing attitudes were assessed on the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) based on a vignette describing a female obese patient., Results: Only 25% graded current health care of obese patients to be 'good' or 'very good'. 63% of all HCPs 'somewhat' or 'strongly' agreed that it was often difficult to get the resources needed in order to care for obese patients. The mean FPS score was comparable to that in the general public (M = 3.59), while nursing staff showed slightly more positive attitudes compared to physicians and therapists. Higher age, higher BMI, and ascribing personal responsibility for obesity to the individual were associated with a higher level of stigmatizing attitudes. The nursing staff agreed on obesity as an illness to a greater extent while physicians attributed obesity to the individual., Conclusions: In summary, by making complex models on the causes of obesity known among health care professionals, stigmatizing attitudes might be reduced. Ongoing further education for health care professionals ought to be part of anti-stigma campaigns in the medical field., (© 2013 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.)

This article tries to link the present lack of theoretical discussion within German Social Psychiatry with a loss of phenomenological and anthropological thought. The so-called Phenomenological Psychiatry used to play a very important role in German psychiatry during the 50 ies until the 70 ies and had strong influences on the first reformers of German psychiatry, such as Walter Ritter von Baeyer, Heinz Häfner, Caspar Kulenkampff, Karl Peter Kisker and Erich Wulff. Their reforms were not only founded by a social criticism put forth by theories such as marxism (Basaglia, Wulff) or structuralism (Foucault) but also by a concrete notion of what it is like to suffer from mental illness and what kind of needs are linked to such suffering. This very notion was given by the phenomenological approach. Finally the article tries to give reasons for today's reciprocal loss of connection of the phenomenological and the socio-psychiatric school., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: Handwriting legibility systematically biases evaluations in that highly legible handwriting results in more positive evaluations than less legible handwriting. Because performance assessments in educational contexts are not only based on computerized or multiple choice tests but often include the evaluation of handwritten work samples, understanding the causes of this bias is critical., Aims: This research was designed to replicate and extend the legibility bias in two tightly controlled experiments and to explore whether gender-based inferences contribute to its occurrence., Sample(s): A total of 132 students from a German university participated in one pre-test and two independent experiments., Method: Participants were asked to read and evaluate several handwritten essays varying in content quality. Each essay was presented to some participants in highly legible handwriting and to other participants in less legible handwriting. In addition, the assignment of legibility to participant group was reversed from essay to essay, resulting in a mixed-factor design., Results: The legibility bias was replicated in both experiments. Results suggest that gender-based inferences do not account for its occurrence. Rather it appears that fluency from legibility exerts a biasing impact on evaluations of content and author abilities., Conclusions: The legibility bias was shown to be genuine and strong. By refuting a series of alternative explanations, this research contributes to a better understanding of what underlies the legibility bias. The present research may inform those who grade on what to focus and thus help to better allocate cognitive resources when trying to reduce this important source of error., (©2011 The British Psychological Society.)