| Popis: |
Islamophobia is a well-researched subject in the fields of sociology, political science, and cultural studies. However, relatively little is known about the psychological processes contributing to its development and maintenance. The typology of Islamophobia encompasses the various ways in which anti-Muslim sentiment manifests, ranging from individual prejudices to institutionalized policies and government practices. For instance, Islamophobia can be explicit and overt, such as hate crimes and violent attacks against Muslims. It can also be subtler and more implicit, such as discriminatory hiring practices and political leaders’ exclusionary rhetoric. The typology highlights the pervasive, systematic, and institutionalized discrimination against Muslims, stressing the need to combat this form of bigotry. Hence, this study critically reviews the current literature on the psychology of Islamophobia while exploring the cognitive, affective, and behavioral factors underlying negative attitudes towards Muslims and Islam. Using phenomenology to assess the psychology of Islamophobia, this paper involves exploring people’s perceptions and understanding of Muslims and Islam, which could help uncover the psychological, emotional, societal, and cultural factors that shape perceptions of Islam and Muslim people. Through employing theories of social identity, stereotype formation, and intergroup conflict, this paper argues that Islamophobia is rooted in human beings’ neurocognitive biases and heuristic processing when making social judgments about out-groups, particularly those perceived as a threat. These biases and processes include confirmation bias, illusory correlation, group polarization, and the out-group homogeneity effect. Moreover, this paper examines the emotional and experiential aspects of Islamophobia, including fear, anxiety, and stigma, and how they may fuel irrational and discriminatory attitudes towards Muslims. Finally, this paper considers potential avenues for reducing Islamophobia, including intergroup contact, education, and awareness-raising campaigns. Overall, in an attempt to maintain peaceful coexistence and as a positive step towards ending discrimination and prejudice, this study provides an extensive overview of the psychological dimensions of Islamophobia, highlights its multifaceted nature, and urges more empirical research to further our understanding of this pressing issue. |
