Attitudes towards Ukrainian refugees: What is the role of beliefs in social equality and guilt?

A growing number of Ukrainian refugees are fleeing their country due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It seems, then, relevant to deepen which factors can prevent negative attitudes towards Ukrainian refugees in the European and Italian context. This study investigated the role of beliefs in social equality and guilt in shaping such attitudes. Participants (N=425) completed an anonymous questionnaire. Findings showed a significant negative association between social equality beliefs, guilt by omission, and negative attitudes towards Ukrainian refugees. A significant three-way interaction between beliefs in social equality, guilt by commission, and guilt by omission emerged. Our findings show that guilt by omission moderates the relationship between beliefs in social equality and negative attitudes toward Ukrainian refugees, weakening this link. This effect holds across both low and high guilt by commission, suggesting that high guilt by omission may partially inhibit beliefs in social equality’s catalyst effect. Our findings could be useful for policymakers interested in favoring the acceptance of Ukrainian refugees.