Can racist prejudice be predicted from sexism, social dominance, and authoritarian aggression? A study of high school students in Northern Chile

Abstract

Introduction: This study pursued a twofold objective: first, to compare levels of prejudice toward immigrants among high school students in northern Chile; and second, to propose a predictive model of prejudice toward immigrants, considering the dimensions of ambivalent sexism (hostile and benevolent) as predictor variables and social dominance orientation and authoritarian aggression as mediating variables. Method: A sample of 175 secondary school students participated in the study. An observational, cross-sectional predictive design was employed. A MANOVA, a complementary factorial ANOVA for total prejudice, and two path analysis models were estimated. Results: The path analysis models showed adequate fit indices when modeling racist prejudice from the dimensions of ambivalent sexism, with social dominance orientation and authoritarian aggression specified as mediating variables. Type of educational establishment showed significant differences in total prejudice and its subtle and blatant dimensions, as well as in right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and ambivalent sexism. Gender differences were observed only for ambivalent sexism. Conclusion: The results were consistent with a model in which the dimensions of ambivalent sexism are indirectly associated with prejudice through social dominance orientation and authoritarian aggression.