Background: Despite pieces of evidence that one of the major motivations of Xenophobic behaviour is cognition, there are limited studies that systematically reviewed the influence of psychological factors on Xenophobic behaviour. The study set out to conceptualise a psychologically-based intervention by weighing the pieces of evidence from previous studies that examined the dispositional determinants of xenophobic behaviour in South Africa using structured systematic reviews.

Methods: The articles considered in this study were incorporated using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework of 2009. We performed a review search in PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Unisa Library for studies published between 2008 and February 2022.

Results: The outcome revealed that shared external locus of control, repression and displacement, and learned helplessness were major dispositional factors influencing recurring xenophobic behaviour.

Conclusion: It was concluded that dispositional factors precipitate/perpetuate xenophobic behaviours in South Africa, and implementation of the conceptualised intervention framework could forestall further occurrences. The organised body of psychology in South Africa should implement a National Cognitive Re-Orientation Programme (NCRP) for South Africa to tackle majorly boost the internal locus of control of South Africans.

Segun Emmanuel Adewoye is from Department of Psychology, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, South Africa.