Investigating antecedents of Islamophobia: the role of perceived control over terrorism, threat, meta-dehumanization, and dehumanization

Meta-dehumanization contributes to a vicious cycle of hostility. This study extends the literature by investigating antecedents and outcomes of meta-dehumanization in the context of Muslim–non-Muslim relations. Specifically, control over terrorism (COT) and threat were tested as predictors of meta-dehumanization among non-Muslim British nationals (N = 313). The results revealed that lower perceptions of COT predicted increased threat, which in turn predicted meta-dehumanization. Meta-dehumanization, consequently, predicted Islamophobia via increased dehumanization of Muslim people. The results were significant while controlling for political orientation and intergroup contact. This research highlights the unsettling cycle of meta-dehumanization and intergroup hostility. Theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed