In this paper, we develop the theory of ontologisation: social representations that prevent members of minority and majority groups who are living in contact with each other to mingle. The process of ontologisation consists in separating some humans from their own species, and anchoring them in another environment, that of an animal, for example. We propose that underlying the famous slogan "equal but separate" is the social representation of inter-racial mixing as a ‘counter-nature’ phenomenon. It is predicted that a sexual relationship between people of different ‘races’ leads to a greater degree of ontologisation, and, as such, this miscegenation will be explained in terms of biologistic thinking, like an instinctive nature or atavistic animal impulse. An experiment (N = 360) features the case of a woman who, though already in a stable relationship, is unfaithful to her partner. In a 2x3 factor design, the ethnic-national identity of this woman (ingroup-Spanish/Italian vs. outgroup-Senegalese) and the ethnic-national identity of her lovers (ingroup-Spanish/Italian vs. outgroup-Rumanian vs. outgroup-Senegalese) were manipulated. In general, results fit the hypothesis of ontologisation in inter-racial conditions better, rather than the customary ingroup favouritism and/or outgroup discrimination bias. We then go on to discuss the way in which a biologistic way of thinking enables a differentiation at the human level, in terms of culture groups and nature groups, in "races", so that an interracial sexual relationship is seen as evidence of a wild and irrepressible impulse, which stigmatises the people involved in these relationships.
Mixing against culture vs. mixing against nature: Ontologization of prohibited interethnic relationships
RONCARATI, Alessandra;RAVENNA, Marcella;
2009
Abstract
In this paper, we develop the theory of ontologisation: social representations that prevent members of minority and majority groups who are living in contact with each other to mingle. The process of ontologisation consists in separating some humans from their own species, and anchoring them in another environment, that of an animal, for example. We propose that underlying the famous slogan "equal but separate" is the social representation of inter-racial mixing as a ‘counter-nature’ phenomenon. It is predicted that a sexual relationship between people of different ‘races’ leads to a greater degree of ontologisation, and, as such, this miscegenation will be explained in terms of biologistic thinking, like an instinctive nature or atavistic animal impulse. An experiment (N = 360) features the case of a woman who, though already in a stable relationship, is unfaithful to her partner. In a 2x3 factor design, the ethnic-national identity of this woman (ingroup-Spanish/Italian vs. outgroup-Senegalese) and the ethnic-national identity of her lovers (ingroup-Spanish/Italian vs. outgroup-Rumanian vs. outgroup-Senegalese) were manipulated. In general, results fit the hypothesis of ontologisation in inter-racial conditions better, rather than the customary ingroup favouritism and/or outgroup discrimination bias. We then go on to discuss the way in which a biologistic way of thinking enables a differentiation at the human level, in terms of culture groups and nature groups, in "races", so that an interracial sexual relationship is seen as evidence of a wild and irrepressible impulse, which stigmatises the people involved in these relationships.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
