Explaining atheist discrimination in the workplace: the role of intergroup threats.

Rios, K., Halper, LR, and Scheitle, CP (2021). Explaining atheist discrimination in the workplace: the role of intergroup threat. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000326

Commentary

Based on the in-group identity model, intergroup threat theory, and the fact that atheists are one of the most stigmatized groups in the United States, this study investigated whether people are unwilling to accept atheists and why.

In three studies, participants were instructed to respond to vignettes depicting employees who were asked to express their religious beliefs in the workplace. As the researchers predicted, the participants were less likely to honor the atheist employee's request.

This effect was explained as being driven by the participants' perception that atheists pose a symbolic threat. In other words, people who hold religious beliefs are trying to impose those beliefs on others.

Real threats in the workplace have also been identified, although to a lesser degree. The implications of this are that the economic status and resources of the organization are at risk.

Also, while there was no consistent effect of participant religion across the three studies, the tendency of atheist employees to hesitate in their requests was identified as being slightly stronger among religious participants.

The implications of this study for how atheist prejudice in the workplace can be generated and mitigated are discussed.