Social dominance orientation, realistic and symbolic threat: Effects on Italians’ acculturation orientations, intergroup attitudes and emotions toward immigrants

In this study, realistic and symbolic threat were tested as mediators of the effects of Social Dominance Orientation (SDO; Sidanius & Pratto, 1999) on acculturation orientations, intergroup attitudes and emotions. One-hundred Italian undergraduates completed one of three versions of a questionnaire, each evoking a different target-group: immigrants in general, Moroccans, Chinese. We predicted that the effects of SDO on acculturation orientations would be mediated by realistic threat in the employment domain and by symbolic threat in the culture domain; both threats should mediate the SDO-intergroup attitudes and emotions relationship. Results showed, partially supporting predictions, mediation effects by realistic threat on integrationism (employment domain), intergroup attitudes and emotions, and by symbolic threat on assimilationism (culture domain). Evidence of moderated mediation emerged in the path from predictor to mediator: SDO increased realistic threat more for immigrants in general and Moroccans than for Chinese. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed.