Self-enhancement drives prejudice only in the short term, not chronically

Evidence

Protecting self from threat and enhancing self constitute related but distinct phenomena. The first one maintains integrity of self and ingroup under threat; the second makes oneself and one’s group seem better than others. Allport certainly endorsed this latter kind of self-enhancement motive, noting, “The very act of affirming our way of life often leads us to the brink of prejudice” (1954/1979, p. 25). Antipathy toward outgroups thus allegedly expresses self-love. This hypothesis has had a rocky history. It seems obvious that people would derogate outgroups in order to enhance the self. But recent research on self-esteem and prejudgment suggests that this holds for state (short-term) more than trait (long-term) self-esteem. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 342