The racial demographic shift occurring in many Western countries provides a unique context to study the reactions of a high-power group (White people) to the potential loss of their privileged position in society. Three experiments (N = 77, N = 302, N = 555) conducted in Canada, the US, and the UK showed that White people who are reminded about the ongoing demographic changes and who see race relations as a zero-sum game whereby any gains by minorities must come at the expense of the majority, experience stronger collective angst and, to a lesser extent, fear (but not anger). In turn, collective angst, but not the other negative group-based emotions, fuels their motivation to protect the existing intergroup hierarchy by withdrawing support for progressive social movements and increases anti-immigration sentiments. Downregulating the existential threat experienced by White majorities in the face of a racial demographic shift may be one way to reduce acrimonious behavioral intentions aimed at preserving their place in the social hierarchy.

许多西方国家发生的种族人口转变为研究高权力群体（白人）对其社会特权地位可能丧失的反应提供了独特的背景。三个实验（N = 77，N = 302，N= 555）在加拿大、美国和英国进行的研究表明，被提醒注意正在进行的人口变化并将种族关系视为零和游戏的白人，少数族裔的任何收益都必须以牺牲多数人为代价，体验更强烈的集体焦虑，在较小程度上体验恐惧（但不是愤怒）。反过来，集体焦虑，而不是其他基于群体的负面情绪，通过撤回对进步社会运动的支持和增加反移民情绪，激发了他们保护现有群体间等级的动机。面对种族人口转变，下调白人多数人所经历的生存威胁可能是减少旨在​​保持其在社会等级中的地位的激烈行为意图的一种方法。