Guilt over prejudice arises only in people who internalize egalitarian standards

Evidence

Although Allport assumed that the essayists who reported inconsistencies between their “reason and their prejudice” experienced compunction, this assumption was first tested directly by Devine, Monteith, Zuwerink, and Elliot (1991). Their empirical strategy was to assess how people who vary in self-reported level of prejudice believe they should respond in interpersonal situations involving minority group members, and how they actually would respond in these same situations. On average, low-prejudice people believe that they should not feel uncomfortable sitting next to an African American on a bus, but that they likely would. … When actual responses were discrepant from people’s personal standards, Devine et al. (1991) found that low-prejudice people experienced compunction but high-prejudice people did not. Moreover, the greater the violation of nonprejudiced standards, the more guilt low-prejudice people reported. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2104 (#expands, via linked claim)

When actual responses were discrepant from people’s personal standards, Devine et al. (1991) found that low-prejudice people experienced compunction but high-prejudice people did not. Moreover, the greater the violation of nonprejudiced standards, the more guilt low-prejudice people reported. For low-prejudice people, then, the conflict between their should and would reactions threatens their nonprejudiced self-concepts and they hold themselves personally accountable for these failures. In tandem with considerable similar evidence (for a review, see Devine & Monteith, 1993), it appears that many people are embroiled in the arduous process of prejudice reduction. Further, in line with Allport’s prescient observations, the adoption and internalization of nonprejudiced standards is clearly only the first step in breaking the prejudice habit. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2106 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Only people with internalized nonprejudiced standards feel guilt over their actual prejudiced responses — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2106; Illegitimacy perception is necessary but not sufficient to drive guilt intensity variation. — Michael T. Schmitt, Daniel A. Miller, Nyla R. Branscombe, and Jack W. Brehm, The Difficulty of Making Reparations…, 86; Guilt requires holding internalized personal norms of justice, not external pressure — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 444 (+14 more)

Broader Connections

• Guilt from prejudice-standards violation occurs only in people committed to nonprejudiced values #expands (0.98) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2104
• Only low-prejudice people feel guilt when their behavior falls short of their nonprejudiced ideals #expands (0.95) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2106
• Low-prejudice people experience compunction when their behavior contradicts their egalitarian standards #expands (0.94)
• Internal egalitarian motives arise from conformity to new group norms, not personality #complicates (0.76) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1924
• Others’ disapproval can rival inner conviction in constraining prejudice #complicates (0.75) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2120
• Prejudiced people avoid introspection and blame external forces #complicates (0.74) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 564