Lecture 5
Q: What is the core idea of System Justification Theory (SJT)?
A: People are psychologically motivated to see existing systems as fair and legitimate—even when they cause inequality.
Q: How can SJT lead low-status groups to support inequality?
A: It can override group or personal interests, leading disadvantaged individuals to defend the status quo.
Q: What are the three motives driving system justification?
A: Epistemic (reduce uncertainty), existential (reduce threat), and relational (maintain social harmony).
Q: What increases system justification according to SJT?
A: Perceived legitimacy and threat to the system both increase justification.
Q: What is one main criticism of SJT?
A: The same motives can drive both justification and rejection of the system—what causes the different outcomes?
Q: What is the core idea of Social Dominance Theory (SDT)?
A: Societies are structured as group-based hierarchies where dominant groups enjoy more power and resources.
Q: What is Social Dominance Orientation (SDO)?
A: An individual's preference for group-based hierarchy—high SDO means stronger support for inequality.
Q: What are Legitimizing Myths (LMs)?
A: Cultural beliefs used to justify and maintain group hierarchies, e.g., racism or meritocracy.
Q: What is Behavioral Asymmetry in SDT?
A: Subordinate group members may help maintain social hierarchies instead of resisting them.
Q: What are the three forms of discrimination in SDT?
A: Individual (routine behaviors), institutional (systemic inequality), and behavioral asymmetry.
Q: What is the primary focus of SDT vs. SJT?
A: SDT focuses on dominance and group hierarchy; SJT focuses on justification of the status quo.
Q: What motivates support for inequality in SDT and SJT?
A: SDT: desire for dominance (SDO); SJT: psychological needs (e.g., certainty, safety).
Q: What is Individual Mobility in SIT?
A: Dissociating from a low-status group if group boundaries are perceived as permeable.
Q: What is tokenism and how does it relate to social mobility?
A: When a few low-status individuals gain access to high-status groups, giving false hope of equality.
Q: What are the three antecedents of collective action in SIT?
A: Perceived injustice, group efficacy, and group identity.
Q: What is Social Creativity in SIT?
A: Reinterpreting a group’s situation to maintain self-esteem without changing social status.
Q: What are examples of Social Creativity strategies?
A: Redefining traits, downward comparison, or shifting comparison dimensions.
Q: What is Social Competition?
A: Acting collectively to improve the ingroup's status.
Q: What is Relative Deprivation (RD)?
A: The gap between what people have and what they feel entitled to.
Q: What is Group (fraternal) RD?
A: Feeling deprived compared to other groups—leads to anger and potential collective action.
Q: How does anger affect collective action according to Stuermer & Simon (2009)?
A: Anger can lead to short-term emotional release but not long-term change.
Q: What did Becker et al. (2011) find about anger in activism?
A: Angry actions can intensify anger and encourage continued activism.
Q: What types of actions do anger and contempt lead to?
A: Anger → non-violent action; Contempt → violent action.
Q: What are the benefits of intergroup contact?
A: Improved relationships and reduced prejudice between groups.
Q: How can intergroup contact undermine collective action?
A: By reducing perceptions of injustice and making individual mobility more appealing.
Q: What are the two main approaches to social change?
A: Prejudice reduction and pushing for better treatment through disruption.
Q: What emotion is self-focused and what is other-focused?
A: Guilt is self-focused; sympathy is other-focused.
Q: What are the four motives advantaged groups may have in response to inequality?
A: Outgroup-focused (anger), ingroup-focused (guilt), personal (reputation), and moral (values).
Q: What is a moral motive in response to injustice?
A: Acting based on values like fairness and harm-avoidance, regardless of group affiliation.