One thousand five hundred thirty eight hate crimes committed in Los Angeles County were reviewed.... more One thousand five hundred thirty eight hate crimes committed in Los Angeles County were reviewed. Differences between sexual orientation and other hate crime categories were considered for offense severity, reportage to law enforcement, and victim impact. The type of offense varied between crimes classified for sexual orientation (n = 551) and other bias motivated crimes (n = 987). Assault, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and stalking were predictive of sexual orientation hate crimes. Sexual orientation bias crimes evidenced greater severity of violence to the person and impact upon victim level of functioning. More violent forms of aggression were predictive of gay and lesbian victim’s under-reportage to law enforcement. For sexual orientation offenses, victim gender and race/ethnicity differences were predictive of the base rates of crime reportage as well. These findings are considered in terms of a group–risk hypothesis, encountered by “multiple outgroup ” persons, that influ...
The cognitive and somatic benefits of a Kundalini yoga intervention to treat anxiety and OCD (Sha... more The cognitive and somatic benefits of a Kundalini yoga intervention to treat anxiety and OCD (Shannahoff-Khalsa, 2006) were evaluated with 44 mental health consumers. Ratings were assigned for (1) initial meditations/postures, (2) asanas/kriyas, (3) mantra, and (4) extended meditations. Pre-post ratings included subjective distress (SUDS), blood pressure/pulse, and Gunas (lethargy/Tamas, mental clarity/Sattva, and agitation/Rajas). Significant pre-post differences were found for blood pressure, SUDS, Tamas and Sattva. Participants prescribed psychotropic medications reported less benefit from extended meditation and lower post-session mental clarity/Sattva. Clinician derived DSM-IV diagnoses revealed practice benefits were significantly greater for participants diagnosed with anxiety. Severity of anxiety and depression at the initiation of the intervention were related to significantly lower benefit from subsequent yoga sessions. Severity of depression was correlated with fewer sess...
This study investigated the criminal histories and violence risk of a sample of 204 hate crime of... more This study investigated the criminal histories and violence risk of a sample of 204 hate crime offenders. Record review of the offender's criminal history was rated on the HCR-20 and Cormier-Lang scales. Crime reports were rated for the severity of the bias offense on the Victim Functional Impact scale and the offender's targeting of outgroup victims-i.e., the bias intent. Findings indicated that 56% of the offenders had prior criminal convictions; HCR-20 ratings were comparable to those found in other offender groups and were correlated with
Hate crime laws are a highly controversial legal approach in society's response to intergroup... more Hate crime laws are a highly controversial legal approach in society's response to intergroup violence. Argument acceptance, knowledge, and individual differences were examined in relationship to attitudes about these laws. These variables were also considered in terms of efforts to influence a peer's beliefs about hate crime laws. One‐hundred and sixty‐seven participants completed a measure of knowledge of human rights laws, Gough's Pr scale, the Selznick and Steinberg anti‐Semitism scale, and Cuellar's Machismo scale. Hate crime attitudes were measured on an affect rating scale and six statements reflecting arguments favoring and opposing hate crime laws. Peer influence was examined on Interpersonal Power Inventory (IPI). Results showed that while most participants endorsed positive attitudes about hate crime laws, men—and both women and men who endorsed machismo attitudes—were more likely to agree with media distortion and identity politics arguments opposing hate...
The challenge of determining bias motivation in hate crime offenders was examined with the Bias M... more The challenge of determining bias motivation in hate crime offenders was examined with the Bias Motivation Profile-Revised (BMP-R), a rating guide that measures behavioral, historical, and ideological indicators of suspect motivation to commit a hate crime. In review of 551 hate crime cases, the BMP-R rating criteria revealed adequate external validity in classifying hate crimes from non-hate motivated crimes and non-criminal “hate incidents”, as independently determined by crime investigators. The BMP-R criteria were related to offender pre-meditation, and revealed a significant predictive relationship to hate crimes involving violence to the person. Offender differences on the BMP-R were noted for gender and age, with modest race/ethnic differences being observed. These findings illustrate the importance of examining bias motivation in terms of an array of criteria, independent of the element of hate speech, in the assessment of hate crime offenders.
The authors would like to thank Dr. Harrison Gough for his comments on the history and developmen... more The authors would like to thank Dr. Harrison Gough for his comments on the history and development of the Pr/To Scale as well as Dr. Olga Marlin at Karlova University and Ms. Marta Halpert with the Anti Defamation League, Vienna, concerning information on intergroup relations in central Europe. Czech and U.S. Predictors of Anti-Semitism and Racism
The base rates and co-morbidity of pathological bias as a clinical problem were examined with 159... more The base rates and co-morbidity of pathological bias as a clinical problem were examined with 159 psychotherapy outpatients. Ratings were assigned for the Outgroup Hostility Scale (OHS), Outgroup Empathy Scale (OES), DSM-IV diagnoses, the MMPI-2, Gough’s Pr scale, and MINI. 11.6 % of the psychotherapy patients evidenced aversive and 12.6 % empathic outgroup concerns. Outgroup aversive patients remained significantly longer in treatment and had higher MMPI-2 scale scores for F, Pa, and Pt. OHS scores were higher for men; OHS scores were correlated to lower GAF scores and MINI hypo-mania, hostility, and panic symptoms. Patients in committed inter-racial/ethnic relationships had higher OES scores. Establishment of a methodology that examines bias as a mental health problem is considered in terms of assessment, treatment, and legal concerns.
C ognitive, individual differences, and intergroup contact factors were examined in the formation... more C ognitive, individual differences, and intergroup contact factors were examined in the formation of attitudes about human rights and ethnic bias in two studies conducted in Spain. A 7-item scale measuring knowledge about human rights laws in Spain and the European Union was used in both studies. Participants were university students enrolled at the Universidad Autó noma de Madrid. In study one, participant (n~127) knowledge about human rights laws, intergroup contact, Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), and Gough's Prejudice/Tolerance (Pr/To) scale were examined in relationship to bias towards Gitanos. Findings revealed that knowledge about human rights and social status variables (gender and age) were not significant predictors of Gitano bias, whereas Pr/To, RWA, and contact were all (R 2~. 28) significant predictors of bias against Gitanos. Findings provided cross-cultural replication (Dunbar & Simonova, in press) of the relationship of Pr/To and RWA to Gitano bias. In study two, participant (n~100) knowledge and feelings (measured on a three-item semantic differential scale) about human rights laws, Pr/To, and RWA were examined in relation to strategies influencing peer attitudes about human rights on the Raven Social Influence Inventory (RSII) scale. Findings indicated that knowledge about human rights laws were correlated (r~.47, pv.001) with positive feelings about these laws. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for knowledge about human rights laws and participants' social status, found that the Prejudice/Tolerance scale and feelings about human rights were related with both hard (R 2~. 11) and soft (R 2~. 08) social influence strategies influencing peer human rights attitudes on the RSII. Men and higher-scoring participants on Pr/To both employed more hard social influence strategies. Findings indicate that while knowledge of human rights laws is unrelated to ethnic bias, more accurate knowledge is correlated to more positive feelings about laws meant to protect the rights of ethnic minorities.
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2003
The relationship of individual difference and social status variables to outgroup bias was studie... more The relationship of individual difference and social status variables to outgroup bias was studied in the Czech Republic and the US Gough's prejudice/tolerance (Pr/To) and Altemeyer's right wing authoritarianism (RWA) scales were employed with social status variables of gender, age, economic level, and ethnicity in predicting anti-Semitism and racial bias. One hundred and eighty-eight Czech and 281 US participants were included in the study. Results revealed similar cross-cultural relationships for Pr/To and RWA to outgroup bias. However, significant US and Czech differences existed for the social status variables in relationship to outgroup bias. For the Czech sample, men scored significantly higher on Pr/To, RWA, and the measures of outgroup bias while for the US sample of the outgroup bias measures varied by economic level. Hierarchical multiple regression results, controlling for social status variables, demonstrated similar predictive relationships of Pr/To and RWA for anti-Semitism with the Czech and US samples and anti-Roma bias (Czech sample) and anti-Black racism (US sample). A two-factor model is proposed to examine individual difference predisposition to endorse outgroup bias.
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2007
Human rights are an essential element of a civil society. Attitudes about these laws and the role... more Human rights are an essential element of a civil society. Attitudes about these laws and the role of peer influence in shaping these attitudes, has not garnered much attention. This study examined the strategies individuals employ to influence a peers' beliefs about human rights laws in Spain. One hundred ninety-six participants at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid completed measures of human rights knowledge, feelings concerning human rights, political alienation, prejudice, sexism, and ethnic bias towards Gitanos (gypsies). Social power strategies to influence peers' attitudes about the rights of ethnic minorities (Gitanos) and women were measured on
One thousand five hundred thirty eight hate crimes committed in Los Angeles County were reviewed.... more One thousand five hundred thirty eight hate crimes committed in Los Angeles County were reviewed. Differences between sexual orientation and other hate crime categories were considered for offense severity, reportage to law enforcement, and victim impact. The type of offense varied between crimes classified for sexual orientation (n = 551) and other bias motivated crimes (n = 987). Assault, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and stalking were predictive of sexual orientation hate crimes. Sexual orientation bias crimes evidenced greater severity of violence to the person and impact upon victim level of functioning. More violent forms of aggression were predictive of gay and lesbian victim’s under-reportage to law enforcement. For sexual orientation offenses, victim gender and race/ethnicity differences were predictive of the base rates of crime reportage as well. These findings are considered in terms of a group–risk hypothesis, encountered by “multiple outgroup ” persons, that influ...
The cognitive and somatic benefits of a Kundalini yoga intervention to treat anxiety and OCD (Sha... more The cognitive and somatic benefits of a Kundalini yoga intervention to treat anxiety and OCD (Shannahoff-Khalsa, 2006) were evaluated with 44 mental health consumers. Ratings were assigned for (1) initial meditations/postures, (2) asanas/kriyas, (3) mantra, and (4) extended meditations. Pre-post ratings included subjective distress (SUDS), blood pressure/pulse, and Gunas (lethargy/Tamas, mental clarity/Sattva, and agitation/Rajas). Significant pre-post differences were found for blood pressure, SUDS, Tamas and Sattva. Participants prescribed psychotropic medications reported less benefit from extended meditation and lower post-session mental clarity/Sattva. Clinician derived DSM-IV diagnoses revealed practice benefits were significantly greater for participants diagnosed with anxiety. Severity of anxiety and depression at the initiation of the intervention were related to significantly lower benefit from subsequent yoga sessions. Severity of depression was correlated with fewer sess...
This study investigated the criminal histories and violence risk of a sample of 204 hate crime of... more This study investigated the criminal histories and violence risk of a sample of 204 hate crime offenders. Record review of the offender's criminal history was rated on the HCR-20 and Cormier-Lang scales. Crime reports were rated for the severity of the bias offense on the Victim Functional Impact scale and the offender's targeting of outgroup victims-i.e., the bias intent. Findings indicated that 56% of the offenders had prior criminal convictions; HCR-20 ratings were comparable to those found in other offender groups and were correlated with
Hate crime laws are a highly controversial legal approach in society's response to intergroup... more Hate crime laws are a highly controversial legal approach in society's response to intergroup violence. Argument acceptance, knowledge, and individual differences were examined in relationship to attitudes about these laws. These variables were also considered in terms of efforts to influence a peer's beliefs about hate crime laws. One‐hundred and sixty‐seven participants completed a measure of knowledge of human rights laws, Gough's Pr scale, the Selznick and Steinberg anti‐Semitism scale, and Cuellar's Machismo scale. Hate crime attitudes were measured on an affect rating scale and six statements reflecting arguments favoring and opposing hate crime laws. Peer influence was examined on Interpersonal Power Inventory (IPI). Results showed that while most participants endorsed positive attitudes about hate crime laws, men—and both women and men who endorsed machismo attitudes—were more likely to agree with media distortion and identity politics arguments opposing hate...
The challenge of determining bias motivation in hate crime offenders was examined with the Bias M... more The challenge of determining bias motivation in hate crime offenders was examined with the Bias Motivation Profile-Revised (BMP-R), a rating guide that measures behavioral, historical, and ideological indicators of suspect motivation to commit a hate crime. In review of 551 hate crime cases, the BMP-R rating criteria revealed adequate external validity in classifying hate crimes from non-hate motivated crimes and non-criminal “hate incidents”, as independently determined by crime investigators. The BMP-R criteria were related to offender pre-meditation, and revealed a significant predictive relationship to hate crimes involving violence to the person. Offender differences on the BMP-R were noted for gender and age, with modest race/ethnic differences being observed. These findings illustrate the importance of examining bias motivation in terms of an array of criteria, independent of the element of hate speech, in the assessment of hate crime offenders.
The authors would like to thank Dr. Harrison Gough for his comments on the history and developmen... more The authors would like to thank Dr. Harrison Gough for his comments on the history and development of the Pr/To Scale as well as Dr. Olga Marlin at Karlova University and Ms. Marta Halpert with the Anti Defamation League, Vienna, concerning information on intergroup relations in central Europe. Czech and U.S. Predictors of Anti-Semitism and Racism
The base rates and co-morbidity of pathological bias as a clinical problem were examined with 159... more The base rates and co-morbidity of pathological bias as a clinical problem were examined with 159 psychotherapy outpatients. Ratings were assigned for the Outgroup Hostility Scale (OHS), Outgroup Empathy Scale (OES), DSM-IV diagnoses, the MMPI-2, Gough’s Pr scale, and MINI. 11.6 % of the psychotherapy patients evidenced aversive and 12.6 % empathic outgroup concerns. Outgroup aversive patients remained significantly longer in treatment and had higher MMPI-2 scale scores for F, Pa, and Pt. OHS scores were higher for men; OHS scores were correlated to lower GAF scores and MINI hypo-mania, hostility, and panic symptoms. Patients in committed inter-racial/ethnic relationships had higher OES scores. Establishment of a methodology that examines bias as a mental health problem is considered in terms of assessment, treatment, and legal concerns.
C ognitive, individual differences, and intergroup contact factors were examined in the formation... more C ognitive, individual differences, and intergroup contact factors were examined in the formation of attitudes about human rights and ethnic bias in two studies conducted in Spain. A 7-item scale measuring knowledge about human rights laws in Spain and the European Union was used in both studies. Participants were university students enrolled at the Universidad Autó noma de Madrid. In study one, participant (n~127) knowledge about human rights laws, intergroup contact, Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), and Gough's Prejudice/Tolerance (Pr/To) scale were examined in relationship to bias towards Gitanos. Findings revealed that knowledge about human rights and social status variables (gender and age) were not significant predictors of Gitano bias, whereas Pr/To, RWA, and contact were all (R 2~. 28) significant predictors of bias against Gitanos. Findings provided cross-cultural replication (Dunbar & Simonova, in press) of the relationship of Pr/To and RWA to Gitano bias. In study two, participant (n~100) knowledge and feelings (measured on a three-item semantic differential scale) about human rights laws, Pr/To, and RWA were examined in relation to strategies influencing peer attitudes about human rights on the Raven Social Influence Inventory (RSII) scale. Findings indicated that knowledge about human rights laws were correlated (r~.47, pv.001) with positive feelings about these laws. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for knowledge about human rights laws and participants' social status, found that the Prejudice/Tolerance scale and feelings about human rights were related with both hard (R 2~. 11) and soft (R 2~. 08) social influence strategies influencing peer human rights attitudes on the RSII. Men and higher-scoring participants on Pr/To both employed more hard social influence strategies. Findings indicate that while knowledge of human rights laws is unrelated to ethnic bias, more accurate knowledge is correlated to more positive feelings about laws meant to protect the rights of ethnic minorities.
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2003
The relationship of individual difference and social status variables to outgroup bias was studie... more The relationship of individual difference and social status variables to outgroup bias was studied in the Czech Republic and the US Gough's prejudice/tolerance (Pr/To) and Altemeyer's right wing authoritarianism (RWA) scales were employed with social status variables of gender, age, economic level, and ethnicity in predicting anti-Semitism and racial bias. One hundred and eighty-eight Czech and 281 US participants were included in the study. Results revealed similar cross-cultural relationships for Pr/To and RWA to outgroup bias. However, significant US and Czech differences existed for the social status variables in relationship to outgroup bias. For the Czech sample, men scored significantly higher on Pr/To, RWA, and the measures of outgroup bias while for the US sample of the outgroup bias measures varied by economic level. Hierarchical multiple regression results, controlling for social status variables, demonstrated similar predictive relationships of Pr/To and RWA for anti-Semitism with the Czech and US samples and anti-Roma bias (Czech sample) and anti-Black racism (US sample). A two-factor model is proposed to examine individual difference predisposition to endorse outgroup bias.
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2007
Human rights are an essential element of a civil society. Attitudes about these laws and the role... more Human rights are an essential element of a civil society. Attitudes about these laws and the role of peer influence in shaping these attitudes, has not garnered much attention. This study examined the strategies individuals employ to influence a peers' beliefs about human rights laws in Spain. One hundred ninety-six participants at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid completed measures of human rights knowledge, feelings concerning human rights, political alienation, prejudice, sexism, and ethnic bias towards Gitanos (gypsies). Social power strategies to influence peers' attitudes about the rights of ethnic minorities (Gitanos) and women were measured on
A new book by a leading authority on hate crimes, Dr. Edward Dunbar, a Clinical Professor of Psyc... more A new book by a leading authority on hate crimes, Dr. Edward Dunbar, a Clinical Professor of Psychology at UCLA, has revealed the connection between the election of Donald Trump and the rising tide of hate crimes in the United States. Titled Hate Unleashed: America's Cataclysmic Change, the book examines how economic and cultural differences and perceived inequities in this country pushed America away from " liberal democratic principles of choice, secularism, freedom of expression, and multiculturalism " and towards " authoritarian, ultranationalistic, and xenophobic (AUX) social philosophies. " With two of the largest mass murders in U.S. history taking place since the election of President Trump, the 58 concert-goers killed in Las Vegas last October and the 26 church-goers a month later in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Dunbar draws a connection between the fear-mongering propaganda that Trump utilized while running for President and the increasing number of hate crimes being reported. " After the election, it became clear that hostility, intolerance and violence targeting minorities, immigrants and socially progressive individuals was more prevalent in the United States than many thought, " Dunbar says, " These hateful sentiments played a significant role in Trump's unlikely ascension. " Among his more interesting findings is a conclusion that in essence the American Civil War never really ended, with cultural and behavioral differences persisting in states that were formerly part of the Confederacy. In fact, there is a direct correlation between the number of lynchings that took place in a state and its current level of reported hate crime incidents. While one would think that areas that tolerated the lawless murder of African Americans by angry mobs would have a higher rate of hate crimes, the evidence actually shows fewer bias-associated crimes in those states, a finding that Dunbar attributes to an under-reporting of hate crimes in those states not only because of a historic culturally-induced reluctance by law enforcement officials to categorize them as such but by a tacit resignation by victims in those communities that the crimes against them won't be taken seriously enough to be prosecuted.
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