Crisis overcome? -affective and instrumental changes of group related attitudes

Petia Genkova^*Henrik Schreiber

• Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Osnabrück, Germany

According to modern research on diversity, attitudes towards cultural diversity are a main predictor of performance in heterogeneous teams. Social psychological research, however, focuses on the impact of crises on prejudice and disregards instrumental attitudes. It focuses on two distinct outcomes: the withdrawal of solidarity toward people with a migration background, and pro-diversity beliefs reflecting positive evaluations of cultural heterogeneity, examining how value orientations, emotional responses, and motivational factors may be linked to these attitudes. Data were collected from N = 130 participants without immigration background during the first lockdown period in spring 2020. Structural path analyses were used to examine associations among key variables. Social dominance orientation showed statistical associations with intergroup threat and fear, which in turn were linked to reported withdrawal of solidarity. The association between intergroup fear and solidarity withdrawal appeared stronger among individuals reporting lower internal motivation to act without prejudice. In a second model, general solidarity and individualism were associated with pro-diversity beliefs, suggesting that internal motivation and intergroup threat may play mediating roles. The findings point to the relevance of distinguishing between affective and value-based aspects of diversity-related attitudes, particularly under crisis conditions. While emotional responses such as fear and threat were linked to exclusionary tendencies, value-based orientations—such as solidarity and egalitarian motivation—were associated with more inclusive attitudes.