White supremacist beliefs predict discrimination but not implicit bias toward perceived Arab/Middle Eastern, Muslim, men

Abstract

In recent decades, prejudices against Arab/Middle Eastern (AME) Muslim individuals have risen alongside surging white supremacist hate speech and violence. Perpetrators often subscribe to white supremacist ideology, which overtly supports hate against AME Muslim individuals and attracts followers worldwide. However, research exploring biases against AME Muslim individuals remains limited, leaving gaps in understanding these prejudices and the potential role of white supremacist beliefs. In a pre-registered study involving White non-Hispanic Americans varying in white supremacist beliefs, we examined if these beliefs influenced spontaneous evaluations and hiring bias towards perceived AME Muslim and non-Muslim White men. Results showed negative spontaneous evaluations of perceived AME compared to White men, regardless of white supremacist beliefs. However, those endorsing such beliefs exhibited more explicit hiring biases against AME men, even after accounting for spontaneous evaluations. Thus, while white supremacist beliefs may not heighten implicit biases, they predict explicit biases against perceived AME Muslim individuals.