Interpreting and Coping with Threat in the Context of Intergroup Relations

The authors interviewed thirty English-speaking Montreal men and women to examine how members of a group interpret and cope with social threat in the context of intergroup relations. The focus was on threats often expressed by Anglophone Quebecers which allude directly or indirectly to intergroup relations. These ranged from broad economic issues and Quebec separation to more personal issues such as being made to speak over the phone in French. The authors assessed how Anglophone Quebecers organize their perceptions of threat by means of a multidimensional scaling analysis. The results confirmed the authors' hypothesis that threats perceived as directed at the individual would evoke an individualistic coping response, whereas group threats would be associated with collective action. Those interviewed showed a high preference for an individualistic coping strategy even in the face of collective social threat. Furthermore, those interviewed had little predisposition to view social threats as emanating from intergroup conflict per se.

The Journal of Social Psychology

Vol. 117

no. 2

257-270

1982

en