System Justification Enhances Life Satisfaction of High- and Low-Status People in China

Abstract

Across three studies, we examine whether system justification enhances psychological well-being among members of both advantaged and disadvantaged groups. In addition, we test the novel hypothesis that perceived individual upward mobility explains this positive effect of system justification. We address these issues by focusing on system justification and life satisfaction among individuals with high and low social class in China, an understudied non-Western society. Findings suggest that system justification positively predicts both high-class and low-class individuals’ life satisfaction, and this result holds for both adults (Study 1, N = 10,196) and adolescents (Study 2, N = 4,037). Moreover, we experimentally demonstrate that system justification has a causal effect on life satisfaction through an increased level of perceived individual upward mobility (Study 3, N = 172). These findings help explain why people, especially those from lower social class, are willing to justify the status quo.