Research Ideas and Outcomes :
Review Article
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Corresponding author: Vincent Weidlich (vincentweidlich89@gmail.com)
Received: 08 Feb 2021 | Published: 19 Feb 2021
© 2021 Vincent Weidlich
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Weidlich V (2021) Prejudice Against Citizens with Right-aligned Political Views in Western Cosmopolitan Cities, and Possible Interventions. Research Ideas and Outcomes 7: e64121. https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.7.e64121
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Prejudice against citizens with right-aligned political views in western cosmopolitan cities was explored, and possible interventions proposed. Literature and theories were reviewed, with social psychological and sociological theories compiled that explain the reasons for this prejudice and an intervention to solve this problem. Scientific research in social sciences is dominated by bias from left-aligned researchers in social psychology and psychology. Dysfunctional scientific processes prominent in this area of sciences are due to the sacralization of social science. A significantly small percent of social and personality psychologists identify as politically conservative. A significant amount of errors and distortions were found in sociology textbooks. Media and corporation biases toward left-aligned political views were found, and right-aligned individuals are out-group members in cosmopolitan cities. Inoculation by media assignments and critical literacy education is proposed, that could prevent school students from being influenced by stealth messages and propaganda. Media campaigns targeting the full spectrum of political views is proposed, that could help reduce biases of citizens. A family and community health class is proposed, that could improve student’s psychological, family, and social health. Youth and adult clubs are proposed, that could help reduce animosity between social groups, and promote solidarity and community health.
Psychology, social psychology, political psychology, sociology, quantitative sociology
The Theoretical explanation of prejudice against citizens with right-aligned political views in Western Cosmopolitan Cities, since these cities are left-aligned by majority (
Left-aligned people are prejudiced against right-aligned groups to the same degree as right-aligned people are prejudiced against left-aligned groups (
Jonathan Haidt argued, at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) (
Attribution theory describes how an individual attains a cognitive mastery of their environment’s causal structure (
Balance Theory describes how when we see conflicting evidence concerning topics, we more often balance their valences (
Scapegoat theory describes how people tend to blame their problems on others, which often causes them to feel prejudice towards the individuals or groups they blame (
Critical Literacy Taught in Schools
Inoculation theory describes how attitudes and beliefs are defended against persuasion and influence, by pre-exposure to a weak version of a future threat, in a similar way to how vaccines work (
Assessment of Success
The intervention success of the proposed media inoculation of students, Fake News Game, critical literacy, online and social media campaign, social structure stability improvement through family and community healthy class and youth/adult clubs, gender education, and confidence education of national views could be determined by surveying cosmopolitan high-schools and the public, every year. The first survey could be performed before the intervention is carried out. The survey could ask each individual how they view right-aligned people, as two questions in a scale from 1-5. The first question could be “How similar do you view right-aligned people to you?” The scale in the answer to first question could start from 1, listed as “A person who has the same views as me,” 2 as “A person who has similar view as me,” 3 as “A person who might or might not have the same views as me,” 4 as “A person who has unsimilar views as me,” and 5 as “A person who has completely different views as me.” The second question could be “How do you feel about right-aligned people?” The scale in the answer to this second question could start from 1, listed as “Love,” 2 as “like,” 3 as “neutral,” 4 as “dislike,” and 5 as “hate.” If the averages of the survey responses improve, decreasing in the direction of 5 towards 1, this could prove a successful intervention as well as a permanent new system.
Confirmation bias (
Structural Functionalism Theory describes structural design for the complex system of society, as society is a complex system made up of parts, that working together, promote solidarity and stability (
Structural Balance Theory describes a group’s network of feelings, and over time, the network changes into certain structural forms (
Equity Theory determines if both relational partners receive a fair distribution of resources by finding the ratio of contributions and benefits for each person (
Optimal Distinctiveness Theory describes in-group and out-group differences, stating that people want an optimal balance of inclusion and distinctiveness in their social groups (
A possible formula to use for the government and cities to use, which includes the material and immaterial contributions from the group to group members, and from group members to the group, could be
\(p_i^h (C)=N_i q_i S_i (g_o+g_i (i_i )S_i)×(r_i^h)/((∑_(k=0)^(H_i))(r_i^k N_i^k ))\)
\(r_i^h=q_i+r_i o_i^h\)
\(N_i q_i\) is the sum of all material and immaterial contributions available for group \(g_i\). \(S_i≤1 \) provides a measure for the reliability with which the members make their contributions. \(g_o+g_i (i_i )S_i\) contains modifications of a pure redistribution of the contributions. The first term \(g_o≤1\) expresses diminuition of the payoff of administration costs. The second term represents an immaterial or material increase of the payoff by group activities. This term is proportional to the potential (saturated) total influence \((i_i )\) and to the solidarity \(S_i\) putting this influence into effect. The coefficient \(g_1\) calibrates the effective total influence \((i_i )S_i\). The last factor, containing the payoff share coefficients \(r_i^h r_i^k\), is denoted as the payoff-distribution. It determines the share received by a member of the group \(G_i\) with status \(h\). The share coefficient \(r_i^h\) itself consists of the status-independent term \(q_i\) and a term proportional to the obligations \(r_i o_i^h\), where \(r_i\) is a reward coefficient (
The proposed clubs would promote interdependence in relationships. Interdependence Theory describes interpersonal relationships as a process of people who interact influencing each other’s experiences (
Structural Balance Theory describes a group’s network of feelings, over time, the network changes into certain structural forms (
The intervention success of the proposed media inoculation of students, Fake News Game, critical literacy, online and social media campaign, social structure stability improvement through family and community healthy class and youth/adult clubs, gender education, and confidence education of national views could be determined by surveying cosmopolitan high-schools and the public, every year. The first survey could be performed before the intervention is carried out. The survey could ask each individual how they view right-aligned people, as two questions in a scale from 1-5. The first question could be “How similar do you view right-aligned people to you?” The scale in the answer to first question could start from 1, listed as “A person who has the same views as me,” 2 as “A person who has similar view as me,” 3 as “A person who might or might not have the same views as me,” 4 as “A person who has unsimilar views as me,” and 5 as “A person who has completely different views as me.” The second question could be “How do you feel about right-aligned people?” The scale in the answer to this second question could start from 1, listed as “Love,” 2 as “like,” 3 as “neutral,” 4 as “dislike,” and 5 as “hate.” If the averages of the survey responses improve, decreasing in the direction of 5 towards 1, this could prove a successful intervention as well as a permanent new system.The proposed intervention of media inoculation of students, Fake News Game, critical literacy, online and social media campaign, social structure stability improvement through family and community healthy class and youth/adult clubs, gender education, and confidence education of national views is a wise approach to the problem, as it is supported by significant prior research, but it could take several years to become successful. Side effects may include an opposition from the majority of the populations in the cosmopolitan cities, such as protests, media criticism, and emigration of people who disagree. The strength of the intervention could overcome the opposition to it, although it could draw largely negative perceptions from populations of cosmopolitan cities that do not implement the intervention. The delay in intervention success could demotivate certain groups and individuals, but as it would become policy, demotivation or opposition would not undermine intervention success.
The proposed intervention is supported by significant prior research, but it could take several years to become successful. Side effects may include an opposition from the majority of the populations in the cosmopolitan cities, such as protests, media criticism, and emigration of people who disagree. Further research could be performed that focuses on the ethics and opposition to this intervention. The strength of the intervention could overcome the opposition to it, although it could draw largely negative perceptions from populations of cosmopolitan cities that do not implement the intervention. The delay in intervention success could demotivate certain groups and individuals, but as it would become policy, demotivation or opposition would not undermine intervention success.
After reviewing the literature and theoretical explanations for the problem of prejudice against right-aligned citizens in cosmopolitan cities, Social Identity Theory, Attribution Theory, Balance Theory, and Scapegoat Theory were found to be the theories of causes for this problem. The theoretically based solutions included media assignments and critical literacy education, media campaigns targeting the full spectrum of political views, a family and community health class, and creating youth and adult clubs.
No financial support was received by the author from any organization for the submitted work. The author has no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. The author has no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.