Blaming the system rather than oneself can protect self-esteem
Evidence
Allport is supported principally in his analysis of extropunitive responses. As described above, ample evidence supports the idea that ingroup ties are central to racial identity theories and have been shown to organize and moderate reactions to discrimination. It is also true that group identity may moderate the adaptive responses to perceived discrimination, and that outgroup prejudice may result from dynamic racial identity processes. Allport also proposed that rebellion and revolt were adaptations as well, and evidence for the link between system blame and positive self-esteem suggests that acting against the system of discrimination is an effective response (system-justification, though, is an important consideration that suggests systemic processes may also have adverse, group-defeating effects [see Jost & Hamilton, ch. 13 this volume]). — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1097
Allport also proposed that rebellion and revolt were adaptations as well, and evidence for the link between system blame and positive self-esteem suggests that acting against the system of discrimination is an effective response (system-justification, though, is an important consideration that suggests systemic processes may also have adverse, group-defeating effects [see Jost & Hamilton, ch. 13 this volume]). — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1097
Categorization
- XREF: Complements the social-capital and identity readings on how groups marshal collective responses; also touches system-justification theory à la Jost. — connects to: The meaning we assign to setbacks is wholly our own responsibility. — Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism, 15; Adolescent girls’ attributed faults express their passive dependent situation, not biology — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 902; Meritocracy belief blames excluded individuals for their own exclusion — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 711 (+4 more)
- corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 1097; , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1097