Political Correctness Beliefs, Threatened Identities, and Social Attitudes

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to assess the relationship between perceptions of political correctness (PC), threatened identities, and social attitudes. The first study focussed on 121 undergraduate students. As predicted, differences in beliefs about PC were found between members of social groups based on gender ideology and sexual orientation. Support also was found for the attitudinal hypothesis that more conservative views (e.g. right-wing authoritarianism, modem prejudice) would be associated with a belief in a PC movement and endorsement of a PC crusader stereotype. A second study conducted with 53 faculty members as respondents provided further support for the attitudinal hypothesis. In addition, it was found that faculty members tend to have more clearly integrated views about PC than students. The notion of political correctness is discussed in terms of group memberships (e.g. gender ideology), social attitudes, and as an issue that is worthy of social psychological analysis.