Allport underestimated backlash as a normal, not paranoid, response to prejudice-reduction

Evidence

Interestingly, Allport (1954/1979) also acknowledged possible resistance to efforts aimed at eliminating prejudicial social dynamics, which might “stiffen opposition in defense of existing attitudes”; he called it the boomerang effect (p. 508). However, his treatment of boomerang was optimistically naive. He wrote, “Such evidence as we have indicates that this effect is relatively slight … it seems probable, too, that ‘boomerangs’ occur chiefly in minds with paranoid trends” (p. 508). Clearly, Allport missed not only the systemic oppression of women, but also the possibility that women’s efforts to overcome it (e.g., by adopting agency) would incur backlash from psychologically healthy men and women alike. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 765

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Allport-reassessment thread on contact theory; backlash against agency parallels the counterfactual limits of mere intergroup contact reducing prejudice.
• ADDENDUM: Reinforces the vault’s caution that prejudice-reduction efforts face resistance, parallel to how media/tree/sacrifice interventions all trigger defensive pushback.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 765