Dimensions of Social Dominance Orientation: The Roles of Legitimizing Myths and National Identification

Using a representative sample of Dutch natives, the current study examined the distinction between two dimensions of social dominance orientation [SDO–Dominance (SDO–D) and SDO–Egalitarianism (SDO–E)] and their relation with prejudice towards immigrant groups. Results showed that an empirical distinction between the two dimensions could be made. Furthermore, the relation between SDO and prejudice was fully mediated by hierarchy–enhancing (ethnic citizenship, assimilation) and hierarchy–attenuating myths (civic citizenship, multiculturalism), but in different ways for both SDO dimensions. Moreover, there were distinct paths between the SDO dimensions and ethnic prejudice for higher and lower identifiers. For higher identifiers, the relation between SDO–D and prejudice was fully mediated by the endorsement of hierarchy–enhancing myths. For lower identifiers, there was an association between SDO–E and prejudice that was predominantly mediated by the endorsement of hierarchy–attenuating myths.