COVID-19 Prejudice Towards Afro-Brazilians

Abstract

ABSTRACT As of May 2021, more than 14.7 million people have been infected and nearly 409,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Brazil. During the pandemic, there were countless cases of discrimination, racism, prejudice, and violence towards Brazil’s Afro-Brazilian population. Using integrated threat theory (ITT), this study investigates prejudice towards Afro-Brazilians. Specifically, this study (n= 410) examines the extent to which COVID-19 related prejudice towards Afro-Brazilians, who were partially blamed for the spread of the virus, is related to prejudice and fear of COVID-19. Results reveal the following: ethnocentrism is positively related to symbolic and realistic threat and fear of COVID-19 is positively related to symbolic and realistic threat.