Politics, Society, Self, and Others
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This project investigated associations between people’s political views and opinions of society, self, and others. During the presidential campaign, racial and ethnic stereotypes and discriminatory comments towards “illegal aliens” from Mexico were often expressed by the Republican presidential candidate. This led me to wonder whether the stereotypic, inflammatory, and discriminatory language associated with Mexican immigrants during the presidential campaign resonated with supporters. To investigate this, I asked participants to view a video of the Republican candidate that was recorded during the presidential campaign, then answer a series of questionnaires about their political views, opinions of society, beliefs about Hispanics, and who they voted for in the presidential election. Results revealed that that those who voted for the Republican candidate reported more negative attitudes toward Mexican-Americans and Mexican immigrant than those who voted for another candidate. Additionally, those who voted for the Republican candidate were also more likely to endorse social hierarchies, hold conservative and traditional ideals, and were less likely to endorse policies that benefit racial minorities. Our findings are important and can hopefully aid in understanding how to reduce negative prejudices towards Mexican-Americans and Mexican immigrants that are harmful to so many.