Scapegoating during Covid-19: Malaysians fear of Covid-19 and displacement of blame towards immigrants

• Main Author: Rashid, Nurul Miza Mohd
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: BF Psychology
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/88230/1/88230_Scapegoating%20during%20Covid-19%20Malaysians%20fear%20of%20Covid-19.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/88230/

There is an increase in scapegoating tendency - increased frustration and attributes of blames - against selected minorities due to the crisis imposed by the Covid-19 global pandemic. In Western nations, Chinese minorities in several Western nations were the main target of scapegoat. Meanwhile, in Malaysia, similar behavioural pattern could be observed between the local Malaysians and immigrants residing as a result of a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases among immigrants in the middle of 2020. The present study employed cross-sectional survey design to examine whether Malaysians’ tendency to scapegoat the cause of the virus and its related threats towards immigrants are higher among those with heightened fear against Covid-19. Using online survey, 257 Malaysian citizens were recruited through the use of convenience sampling (18 to 63 years old, M = 23.28, SD = 4.23). The results of this study may provide insight into the relevance of scapegoating theory in explaining the dynamic between Malaysians and foreign migrant workers residing in Malaysia when there is a sudden and deadly threat present. Preliminary analysis revealed that fear of Covid-19 has a significant positive relationship with scapegoating tendency (r = .34, p <. 001). The preliminary results support scapegoating theory. Some recommendations were made for follow-up study.