Humility attenuates negative attitudes and behaviors toward religious out-group members
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-3-2016
Publication Source
Journal of Positive Psychology
Volume Number
11
Issue Number
2
First Page
199
Last Page
208
ISSN
1743-9760
Abstract
Humility is marked by the regulation of selfish impulses for the sake of others, including holding a modest view of one's beliefs (and their relative strengths and weaknesses). In three studies, we evaluated the extent to which humility attenuates negative attitudes, behavioral intentions, and behaviors toward religious out-group members. In Study 1 (N=159), humility regarding religious beliefs was associated with positive attitudes toward religiously different individuals. In Study 2 (N=149), relational and intellectual humility were associated with less aggressive behavioral intentions in a hypothetical situation in which their cherished beliefs were criticized. In Study 3 (N=62), participants implicitly primed with humility administered significantly less hot sauce (a behavioral measure of aggression) to a religious out-group member who criticized their cherished views relative to participants in the neutral prime condition. We highlight the importance of humility in promoting positive attitudes and behaviors toward religious out-group members.
Keywords
Beliefs, Defensiveness, Humility, Mortality Salience, Out-groups, Psychology, Religious, Terror Management, Tolerance, Worldview Defense
Recommended Citation
Lee-Won, Roselyn J., Leo Herzog, and Sung Gwan Park. “Hooked on Facebook: The Role of Social Anxiety and Need for Social Assurance in Problematic Use of Facebook.” Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking 18, no. 10 (October 1, 2015): 567–74. doi:10.1089/cyber.2015.0002.
