Abstract
System justification theory holds that disadvantaged groups rationalize the current social system, even if it is unfavorable to them. Epistemic, relational, and existential needs are factors that explain this phenomenon. However, the literature has not yet examined and explained when disadvantaged groups no longer rationalize current social systems. This study uses a questionnaire survey method (N = 745) to study the moderating effect of collectivism on disadvantaged mindset and system-justifying beliefs. It found that collectivism can influence the predictive effect of disadvantaged mindset on system-justifying beliefs. For people who scored low in collectivism, a disadvantaged mindset can significantly negatively predict system-justifying beliefs; for those who scored high in collectivism, a disadvantaged mindset no longer predicts system-justifying beliefs. Therefore, these results show that collectivist values are important for explaining system justification in disadvantaged groups. When collectivist values decline, the level of rationalization of the social system by disadvantaged groups also decreases.
Highlights
That sometimes low-status, disadvantaged groups rationalize and defend existing social systems that are mostly unfavorable to them is paradoxical
The present study aims to investigate the effects of a disadvantaged mindset on system-justifying beliefs, and the potential moderating role of collectivism
Gender and age were entered into the regression equation; second, disadvantaged mindset and collectivism were entered into the regression equation as predictors of system-justifying belief; third, the interaction term was entered
Summary
That sometimes low-status, disadvantaged groups rationalize and defend existing social systems that are mostly unfavorable to them is paradoxical. Low-income respondents and African Americans were more likely than others to support limitations to the rights of citizens and media representatives to criticize the government (Jost et al, 2003). To explain this phenomenon, scholars have formulated the system justification theory (Henry and Saul, 2006). Scholars have formulated the system justification theory (Henry and Saul, 2006) According to this theory, people rationalize a system due to epistemic, relational, and existential (Jost and Banaji, 1994; van der Toorn and Jost, 2014; Jost, 2020). Despite the fact they dislike the situation initially, people will consciously or unconsciously convince themselves that the current social system is reasonable, or even selectively ignore some of its shortcomings (Blasi and Jost, 2006)
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