Intergroup Beliefs, Emotional Responses and Social Experiences as Exploration of Religious Social Distance Among Young Adults: A Mixed-Methods Study in India.

Abstract

India is a society of religious diversity, but the extent and structure of social distance across religious groups is uneven, especially among young adults. The present cross sectional sequential mixed methods study examined interreligious social distance among individuals aged 18 to 30 years (M = 24.3, SD = 2.2).  A total of 60 participants were recruited through purposive sampling, with an equal representation across four religious groups: Hindu (Group 1), Muslim (Group 2), Christian (Group 3), and Buddhist (Group 4).  Quantitative data were gathered using the Bogardus Social Distance Scale (Bogardus, 1925) and analysed using the Kruskal Wallis H test.  Qualitative data were collected through semi structured interviews and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six phase framework.  The results showed statistically significant differences in social distance between all four groups, thus indicating that interreligious attitudes are not randomly distributed but are systematically structured. Patterns of acceptance varied between communities, with some groups positioned at greater relational distance. Thematic analysis identified three inter-related processes shaping these attitudes. Participants first regulated proximity by differentiating between functional interactions and intimate relationships, allowing openness in professional contexts but restricting personal inclusion such as marriage.  Second, cognitive and emotional drivers, such as perceived threat, media influenced associations, and inherited belief systems, played a central role in structuring out group evaluations. Third, lived social experiences, especially early exposure to diversity and the quality of intergroup contact, either attenuated or reinforced distancing tendencies. These findings indicate that interreligious social distance among young adults is a layered construct influenced by cognitive, emotional, and experiential factors, not just overt prejudice. By combining quantitative patterns with qualitative insights, the study offers a more grounded account of how intergroup boundaries are maintained and negotiated in a contemporary plural society.