Legitimized status hierarchies suppress ethnocentrism at the cost of subordinate self-esteem

Evidence

More generally, theorizing about the damaging psychological effects of being a target of prejudice, discrimination, and stigma was widespread following Allport’s book, but empirical research since 1954 has had diffi- culty confirming the damaged self-esteem hypothesis. Indeed, based on several studies that support the positive self-esteem of Blacks, Twenge and Crocker (2002) provided a comprehensive meta-analysis that compellingly makes the opposite case. They found that Blacks, on average, have higher self-esteem than Whites, who in turn have higher self-esteem than Asians, American Indians, and Hispanics. Moreover, the Black–White self-esteem gap has actually increased since 1980. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1064 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Broadening the content of the scale naturally weakened its internal consistency. My best revised Group Cohesiveness Scale, twenty-six items answered by 252 students in October 1992, had a mean interitem correlation of . and an alpha of .80. It correlated . with the RWA Scale. But its relationship with scores on my Ethnocentrism Scale came in at only .23, whereas the RWA scale correlated . with Ethnocentrism. Cohesiveness also did not correlate as well with continued acceptance of the home religion (. versus .44), nor differentiate political party preference as well. — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 1100 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Structural hierarchy suppresses the development of commoner subjectivity. — Yael Arbell, The Circle of Commoning:…, 90; Stereotypes legitimize existing social hierarchy even against people’s own interests — Susan T. Fiske et al., A Model of (Often Mixed) Stereotype…, 43; People prefer elevated rank within hierarchy over egalitarian equal respect — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 61 (+10 more)

Broader Connections

• Racial group differences in self-esteem reverse the expected hierarchy #complicates (0.78) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1064
• Group cohesiveness correlates weakly with ethnocentrism despite correlating with authoritarianism #complicates (0.76) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 1100