Of Scripture and Ascription: The Relation between Religious Fundamentalism and Intergroup Helping

Abstract

Two studies examined the role of religion and perceived value threat in determining people's approaches to solving problems faced by social groups. Individuals high in religious fundamentalism held the target groups homosexuals and single mothers responsible for an ostensible unemployment problem, and this relation was mediated by the perception that homosexuals and single mothers threatened their values. In contrast, individuals high in religious fundamentalism did not hold the nonthreatening target groups Native Canadians and students responsible for the same problem. Moreover, high attributions of responsibility for the problem predicted endorsement of the view that members of the target group should change themselves to solve the problem and rejection of involved forms of helping.