Asymmetry in prejudice attribution

Abstract

The present series of experiments investigated what may be termed the asymmetry hypothesis: that discriminatory behaviors directed toward the weak by the strong are seen as more indicative of prejudice than the same behaviors directed toward the strong by the weak. The hypothesis was tested in a variety of settings with three general classes of discriminatory behavior-exclusion, derogation, and preferential treatment-over four sets of complementary, differentially empowered groups that differed in race (black/white), age (old/young), gender (female/male), or sexual preference (gay/straight). Results showed the asymmetry effect for all three classes of discriminatory behavior in all the settings sampled. In the exclusion experiments, subjects attributed more prejudice to someone who excluded members of the less empowered groups, especially when the basis for exclusion was race or sexual preference. In the derogation experiments, subjects attributed more prejudice to someone who derogated the capabilities of members of the less empowered groups. Preferential treatment, presented in cases in which the competitors for a resource were either equally or differentially deserving of it, was seen as less prejudiced when the person who received the resource, or who benefitted from ingroup favoritism, belonged to the less empowered group. It was suggested that what underlies the asymmetry effect are the perceptions that discriminatory behaviors betoken a greater intent to harm when engaged in by those with more social power, and result in greater harm to those with less social power. A final speculation, supported by work on the controllability of social flaws, was that prejudice attribution is a form of blame attribution.