This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (24) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ruggiero, K. M. Articles by Major, B. N. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Ruggiero, K. M. Articles by Major, B. N. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Group Status and Attributions to Discrimination: Are Low- or High-Status Group Members More Likely to Blame their Failure on Discrimination?

Harvard University, kmr{at}wh.harvard.edu

Brenda N. Major

University of California-Santa Barbara

Research has shown that low-status group members tend to minimize discrimination as a reason for negative feedback relative to other causes. Three experiments examined whether this tendency is limited to low-status group members or extends to high-status group members. Participants made attributions for negative feedback on a test after receiving information about the probability that they had been discriminated against by an out-group member. Experiment 1 compared women and men, Experiment 2 compared Blacks and Whites, and Experiment 3 compared members of experimentally created low- and high-status groups. All experiments demonstrated that low-status group members were significantly less likely than high-status group members to blame their poor performance on discrimination and more likely to blame their failure on the type of test, the quality of their answers, and their ability and effort. This was especially apparent when the probability for discrimination was ambiguous.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				O. R. Lightsey Jr. and P. W. Barnes Discrimination, Attributional Tendencies, Generalized Self-Efficacy, and Assertiveness as Predictors of Psychological Distress Among African Americans Journal of Black Psychology, February 1, 2007; 33(1): 27 - 50. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Geddes and A. M. Konrad Demographic Differences and Reactions to Performance Feedback Human Relations, December 1, 2003; 56(12): 1485 - 1513. [Abstract] [PDF]

				H. S. Shorey, G. Cowan, and M. P. Sullivan Predicting Perceptions of Discrimination among Hispanics and Anglos Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, February 1, 2002; 24(1): 3 - 22. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. T. Schmitt, N. R. Branscombe, D. Kobrynowicz, and S. Owen Perceiving Discrimination Against One's Gender Group has Different Implications for Well-Being in Women and Men Pers Soc Psychol Bull, February 1, 2002; 28(2): 197 - 210. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Jetten, N. R. Branscombe, M. T. Schmitt, and R. Spears Rebels with a Cause: Group Identification as a Response to Perceived Discrimination from the Mainstream Pers Soc Psychol Bull, September 1, 2001; 27(9): 1204 - 1213. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. D. Vorauer and S. M. Kumhyr Is this about You or Me? Self-Versus Other-Directed Judgments and Feelings in Response to Intergroup Interaction Pers Soc Psychol Bull, June 1, 2001; 27(6): 706 - 719. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Operario and S. T. Fiske Ethnic Identity Moderates Perceptions of Prejudice: Judgments of Personal Versus Group Discrimination and Subtle Versus Blatant Bias Pers Soc Psychol Bull, May 1, 2001; 27(5): 550 - 561. [Abstract] [PDF]