Testing the impact of the Islamic veil on intergroup attitudes and host community acculturation orientations toward Arab Muslims

Two studies were conducted to examine the impact of the Islamic veil on ethnic attitudes and acculturation orientations toward Arab Muslims. Using computer-generated photos, study 1 investigated Quebec Francophone (N = 76) attitudes toward the Islamic veil. Results revealed that undergraduates had the least favorable attitudes toward a woman wearing a niqab followed by one wearing the hijab, while favorable attitudes were held toward a woman dressed in western clothing. In Study 2, the same female experimenter distributed survey questionnaires to Quebec Francophone undergraduates in the following experimental conditions: (1) control condition, experimenter wearing western clothing with Francophone name (n = 86); (2) experimenter with an Arab Muslim name wearing western clothing (n = 83); (3) experimenter wearing a hijab with an Arab Muslim name (n = 81); and (4) experimenter wearing a niqab with an Arab Muslim name (n = 95). Attitudes toward Arab Muslims were affected by the dress code of the experimenter, but not in the expected direction. Participants expressed more favorable attitudes toward Arab Muslims in the niqab condition than in the control condition, a result partially accounted by a counterstereotype effect. Results showed that the four experimental conditions did not affect endorsement of five out of six acculturation orientations toward Arab Muslims suggesting the stability of host community acculturation orientations under religious prime manipulations.

► Majority attitudes were least favorable toward photo of niqab and hijab women, most favorable for one in western clothing.
► Attitudes toward the face-to-face experimenter were positive regardless of niqab, hijab or western clothing.
► Majority attitudes toward Arab Muslim immigrants were affected by dress code of experimenter, but not in expected direction.
► Niqab effect: Majority had more favorable attitudes toward Arab Muslims with experimenter in niqab than in western clothing.
► Islamic veil and Arab ethnicity did not affect endorsement of 5/6 acculturation orientations toward Arab Muslims.