Recognizing one’s own prejudice triggers guilt that motivates prejudice reduction

Evidence

More than simply discomforting, Allport anticipated that this type of inner conflict would lead to the experience of prejudice with compunction (i.e., accompanied by shame, guilt, and regret). Such self-inflicted punishment Allport believed would serve as a powerful motivating force to reduce the conflict. He cautioned, however, that the process of resolving the conflict would be both difficult and fraught with internal tension. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2082

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to moral licensing and self-consistency theories; also to the compunction-relevant guilt literature in restorative justice. — connects to: Only people with internalized nonprejudiced standards feel guilt over their actual prejudiced responses — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2106; Exposure to pervasive racism knowledge triggers and sustains White guilt — Janet K. Swim and Deborah L. Miller, White Guilt: Its Antecedents and…, 71