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In Search of an Imaginary Enemy: Catholic Collective Narcissism and the Endorsement of Gender Conspiracy Beliefs

Marchlewska, Marta, Cichocka, Aleksandra, Łozowski, Filip, Górska, Paulina, Winiewski, Mikolaj (2019) In Search of an Imaginary Enemy: Catholic Collective Narcissism and the Endorsement of Gender Conspiracy Beliefs. Journal of Social Psychology, 159 (6). pp. 766-779. ISSN 0022-4545. E-ISSN 1940-1183. (doi:10.1080/00224545.2019.1586637) (KAR id:73073)

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Official URL:
https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2019.1586637

Abstract

Gender studies have often been criticized for undermining family and religious values. In this paper, we argue that these criticisms exhibit the characteristics of conspiracy theories. We define gender conspiracy beliefs as convictions that gender studies and gender-equality activists represent an ideology secretly designed to harm traditional values and social arrangements. In two studies conducted among Catholics in Poland (Study 1 N= 1019; Study 2 N= 223), we examined the prevalence of gender conspiracy beliefs and their psychological concomitants. We hypothesized that gender conspiracy beliefs should be associated with a defensive identification with one’s religious group, captured by religious collective narcissism. In both studies, Catholic collective narcissism was demonstrated to be a robust predictor of gender conspiracy beliefs. We additionally demonstrated that Catholic collective narcissism predicted outgroup hostility, and this effect was mediated by gender conspiracy beliefs. We discuss the implications for gender-based prejudice.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/00224545.2019.1586637
Uncontrolled keywords: Collective narcissism, conspiracy beliefs, outgroup hostility, religiosity
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Aleksandra Cichocka
Date Deposited: 19 Mar 2019 13:30 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Jul 2023 13:11 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/73073 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Cichocka, Aleksandra.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1703-1586
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