Eternal outgroups: Afterlife beliefs predict prejudice

People express prejudice toward ideologically dissimilar groups. However, little research has explored (a) how specific beliefs, such as afterlife beliefs, relate to prejudice, (b) whether such beliefs can explain the known association between religiosity and prejudice toward value-threatening groups, and (c) the mechanisms through which afterlife beliefs predict prejudice. We addressed these questions by assessing individual differences in religious, spiritual, and secular afterlife beliefs and attitudes toward religious and political groups. Across four studies (N = 3996 U.S. adults), we find evidence supporting a group exclusion hypothesis: religious and secular afterlife beliefs predict prejudice toward value-incongruent groups (even after controlling for religiosity). We also find some evidence that religious afterlife beliefs explain the association between religiosity and prejudice against value-threatening groups. Finally, we find moderate support for an existential anxiety buffer hypothesis, wherein some afterlife beliefs predict increased peace of mind, reduced death anxiety, and in turn, reduced prejudice.

Duke Scholars

Author Patty Van Cappellen Social Science Research Institute