Personality Traits and Common Ingroup Identity: Support for Refugee Policies Among Host Members

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2024.8.3.296

Abstract

Türkiye, which has hosted the largest number of refugees in recent years, requires remedial intervention programs to facilitate adaptation and coexistence. The irony of harmony studies that guide these interventions seem incomplete due to limited sample characteristics and a lack of attention to personality traits. Hence, we aimed to explore relationships between personality traits, identification with common ingroup identity, and support for social policies toward refugees by sampling the advantaged majority and the disadvantaged largest minority in Türkiye across two correlational studies (Ntotal = 772). In Study 1, agreeableness, extraversion, openness, narcissism, and psychopathy were associated with support for positive social policies. On the other hand, neuroticism was linked with support for negative social policies. However, when identification with common ingroup identity was included in the model, the significance of personality traits in almost all models disappeared, indicating that only the prediction of identification with common ingroup identity remained. The findings of Study 2 replicated and extended the previous result by sampling disadvantaged group members. We suggest that it may be more effective to focus on intergroup variables rather than personality traits to strengthen support for refugee policies, as the overall findings pointed out.

Author Biographies

Sami Çoksan, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Türkiye

Sami Çoksan is a researcher whose primary focus is on the study of intergroup relations, conflict, and conflict resolution. His research interests include social identities, intergroup contact, the irony of harmony, and the support for prorefugee social policies. As a postdoctoral researcher, he is currently studying the effect of collective punishment on ingroup consolidation among non-perpetrators in the cross-cultural context.

Burak Kekeli, Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, Bolu, Türkiye

Burak Kekeli is a graduate student in Social and Organizational Psychology at the Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, Bolu, Türkiye. His current research focuses on the use of artificial intelligence in organizational psychology and artificial intelligence awareness in psychology.

Buse Turgut, Yakutiye Ceylanoglu Healthy Life Center, Erzurum, Türkiye

Buse Turgut began her professional career as a psychologist at the Erzurum Yakutiye District Health Directorate following her graduation. She is currently engaged in providing psychological health support to the community.

Elif Sağdış, Menemen Social Work Center, İzmir, Türkiye

Elif Sağdış began her professional career as a psychologist at the İzmir Menemen Social Service Center Directorate following her graduation. She is currently engaged in providing psychological health support to the community.

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Published
2024-10-21
How to Cite
Çoksan, S., Kekeli, B., Turgut, B., & Sağdış, E. (2024). Personality Traits and Common Ingroup Identity: Support for Refugee Policies Among Host Members. Changing Societies & Personalities, 8(3), 713–735. doi:10.15826/csp.2024.8.3.296
Citation Formats
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Vol. 8, No. 3 (2024)
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Articles