Abstract
Our intention in this article is to show that ethnic prejudice, as evaluated by questions on social distance, is at least partly grounded in the physical appearance of the target groups mentioned, as well as in the greater or lesser difference in phenotype of a child that the individual might have with a member of the target group. Appreciation of these target groups would then depend on the nature of these differences. For France, whenever possible, comparisons were made between the findings of a previous survey (in 1982) and those of a 1988 European survey inserted in the Euro-Barometer. There are also some comparisons between France and West Germany, for 1988. The initial hypothesis is supported by the findings, but responses measuring social distance are modulated by the perceived race and culture of the target groups. An analysis of extremist individuals in 1988 (for France, 178 people) nuanced the overall picture and enabled us to show that responses of extreme non-racists and racists are not strictly symmetrical with respect to expulsion or rejection by the host country.
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