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Why Are Attributions to Discrimination Interpersonally Costly? A Test of System- and Group-Justifying Motivations

University of Washington, ckaiser{at}u.washington.edu

Portia S. Dyrenforth

Michigan State University

Nao Hagiwara

Michigan State University

In two studies, Whites’ endorsement of system-justifying beliefs predicted increased negativity toward Blacks who blamed negative events on discrimination. Whites’ system-justifying beliefs were not associated with negativity toward Blacks who blamed negative events on other internal causes, external causes, or nondiscriminatory unfairness. These negative reactions toward discrimination claimants were mediated by perceptions that the claimant held dissimilar values and failed to take personal responsibility for outcomes. In both studies, participants’ White Identification did not moderate the relationship between the Black target’s attribution for failure and subsequent negative perceptions of that individual, thus providing evidence against a group-justification explanation of these findings.

Key Words: discrimination • attribution • legitimacy • system justification • group identification • person perception

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