What Motivates Support for Freedom of Religious Belief? A Multi-Country Study

Religious intolerance is rooted in group loyalties, but can the same group psychology motivate support for leaders seeking to bridge sectarian divisions? Based on a large cross-cultural survey conducted in seven countries from the Global South, we found that support for freedom of religious belief was correlated with both ingroup identification and vivid recall and reflection of a pivotal ingroup event. This support was further bolstered by empathetic concern and perspective-taking, underpinning their vital roles in interfaith dialogue and promoting religious plurality. These variables seem to play a key role in fostering not only cohesion within religious groups but also tolerance towards outgroups and support for barrier crossing leaders. We also set out to build on previous research suggesting that barrier crossing leaders are formed through shared experiences with outgroups. We consider the implications of these findings for policies aimed at improving freedom of religious belief in regions like sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.