Perceived social support for prejudice blocks objective counter-information from changing beliefs

Evidence

Finally, perceived consensus can enhance (or reduce) prejudice, but it can also make prejudices more resistant to change (Stangor et al., 2001a, experiment 3). One week after reporting their prejudice levels toward African Americans, students were given information that their beliefs were either shared or were not shared by other students at their university. Then, in an attempt to change their beliefs, they were given allegedly “objective” (research-based) information about the actual traits possessed by African Americans. People who were told that others at their university agreed with them showed less opinion change as a result of the “objective” information than people who were told that others did not share their beliefs. The type of information (e.g., concerning positive or negative stereotypes) did not influence the findings. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1917

Categorization

• XREF: This directly complicates the motivated correction / refutational-information assumptions in existing contact-theory and prejudice-reduction vault claims. — connects to: Shared social reinforcement amplifies irrational rationalization of mistaken beliefs — Lee McIntyre, Post-Truth, 88
• QUESTION: Implication: fact-based prejudice-reduction interventions may fail when the target believes their ingroup shares the prejudice — worth using as a filter for why some anti-prejudice campaigns founder.