Shifting Demographics, Shifting Attitudes? How Anticipated Demographic Shifts Shape Majority‐Minority Relations

ABSTRACT

Demographic shifts, defined as either increases in minority populations or decreases in the size of majority groups, are occurring across the United States and worldwide. These changes are evident across multiple domains, including race, gender, and religion. In this review, we summarize existing literature on the psychological consequences of anticipated demographic shifts for majority–minority interactions. We show that across several demographic domains, anticipated demographic shifts heighten perceptions of threat, increase perceptions of negative bias against the majority group, and elicit greater negativity toward multiple minority groups among majority members. We also discuss how various diversity initiatives can either exacerbate or ameliorate these tensions during periods of demographic change. We conclude by highlighting promising avenues for future research.