Reconstruing intolerance: abstract thinking reduces conservatives' prejudice against nonnormative groups.

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Political Psychology

Background:

• The "American dilemma" highlights the tension between national ideals and societal prejudices.
• Construal-level theory suggests abstract thinking can alter social perceptions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically test if construal level influences prejudice, as proposed by Myrdal's "American dilemma."
• To investigate the impact of abstract versus concrete mindsets on tolerance, particularly among conservatives.

Main Methods:

• Measured individual differences in construal level (Study 1).
• Manipulated construal level (Studies 2 & 3).
• Assessed tolerance towards various nonnormative groups and attitudes toward racial out-groups.

Main Results:

• Adopting an abstract mindset increased conservatives' tolerance for non-Christian groups (gay men, lesbians, Muslims, atheists).
• Under a concrete mindset, conservatives showed less tolerance than liberals; this political difference vanished with abstract thinking.
• Construal level did not affect attitudes toward racial out-groups or dominant groups.

Conclusions:

• Abstract thinking can mitigate prejudice by increasing concerns about fairness, especially among conservatives.
• The findings offer empirical support for Myrdal's "American dilemma" by linking construal level to prejudice reduction.