Projection lets prejudiced people condemn in outgroups the traits they secretly possess

Evidence

Sometimes the nasty characteristics people attribute to outgroups are more revealing about the nature of the prejudiced perceivers than they are about the targets of their prejudice. As Allport (1954/1979) stated, “One may imagine qualities in a group and hate the group for them because one is in conflict over the same qualities in oneself ” (p. 200). And in the case of both anti-Semitism and anti-Black prejudice, “accusations and feelings of revulsion against both groups symbolize our dissatisfaction with the evil in our own nature” (p. 199). Allport provided some vivid illustrations of these ideas. In one, a gentile businessman uses shady tactics to force a Jewish competitor out of business, but feels justified – because after all, who is more unethical then the Jews? Another example, in the tradition of classic psychodynamic theorizing, focused on sexual motivation. A White man violates what to him is a taboo: he has had sex with a Black woman. Whatever agitation might be caused by that indiscretion, however, is overshadowed by his rage at “the lecherous Negro male” who “would deflower white womanhood” (p. 376). — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2345

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains the psychodynamic notion of projection as applied to prejudice: attributing one’s own forbidden traits to an outgroup and hating the outgroup for them.
• SEED: Article angle: the psychology of moral indignation and how ‘the other guy is worse’ rationalizes one’s own unethical behavior — projection as a self-serving device well beyond psychodynamic theory, observable in any moral conflict.
• XREF: connects to: Projection converts taboo inner impulses into perceived external enemies — Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Dialectic of Enlightenment, 152; False projection makes the world appear as destructive allegories — Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Dialectic of Enlightenment, 151; Civilized subjects project their own repressed mimetic impulses onto others as repellent remnants. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 1426 (+2 more)