Manipulating social consensus can reduce prejudice

Evidence

Allport argued that conformity is the primary source of prejudice. We agree. However, he may have underestimated the power of social consensus as a basis for prejudice; most of people’s prejudices are acquired from the local social norms and the culture in which people live. In addition, the manipulation of social consensus and social norms has been shown to be a powerful means by which to reduce prejudice. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1938

Categorization

• XREF: The normative-prejudice-reduction angle connects to social norms marketing and the broader literature on descriptive norms shifting behavior. — connects to: Communicating scientific consensus reduces climate polarization across the spectrum — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects…, 142; Observing warm interactions between political rivals reduces outgroup animosity — Rachel Hartman et al., Interventions to Reduce Partisan…, 57
• QUESTION: Worth chasing: what specific interventions weaponize social consensus to reduce prejudice, and how robust are they across cultural contexts?
• corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1938