CRITICAL THINKING AND SOCIAL NORMS AS BUFFERS AGAINST HATE SPEECH ACCEPTANCE

This study investigates the relationship between attitudes toward hate language and demographic, cognitive, and social factors among 250 individuals from Tbilisi, Georgia, and its regions.Using a face-to-face survey methodology, participants completed three measures: The Comprehensive Thinking Style Questionnaire (CTSQ), Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM), and a Hate Language Scale.The results indicated significant gender differences, with women showing stronger disagreement with hate language.Education level was inversely correlated with tolerance for ageism, while thinking styles revealed that closed-mindedness positively correlated with acceptance of hate language, whereas open-minded and effortful thinking negatively correlated.Social comparison of opinions was associated with lower tolerance for direct hate language, reflecting the influence of societal norms.These findings highlight the protective role of education, cognitive openness, and social comparison in reducing prejudice and have practical implications for designing interventions aimed at mitigating hate language.