Perceiving progress toward social equality: A model of signals and sense-making

Georgeac, Oriane; Rattan, Aneeta

doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.08.012

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(70 reference statements)

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“…Specifically, our research is the first to empirically establish that perceptions of fair treatment among disadvantaged groups can be a precursor of minority mobility beliefs, which in turn reduce willingness to challenge the social system. This observed psychological causal chain aligns well with Georgeac and Rattan’s (2021) recent theoretical model about social progress perceptions. These authors argued that people erroneously perceive social progress as homogeneous in nature—i.e., consistent across various societal domains—leading them to mischaracterize the state of society in general (e.g., Georgeac & Rattan, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…This observed psychological causal chain aligns well with Georgeac and Rattan's (2021) recent theoretical model about social progress perceptions. These authors argued that people erroneously perceive social progress as homogeneous in nature-i.e., consistent across various societal domains-leading them to mischaracterize the state of society in general (e.g., Georgeac & Rattan, 2021). This offers a plausible explanation for the present results.…”

Section: Theoretical Contributionssupporting

confidence: 89%

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The irony of fairness: How procedural fairness climate perceptions can hinder disadvantaged group members’ support for social change

Dierckx

Hiel

Swart

et al. 2023

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations

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The current research investigated an “ironic” consequence of a perceived procedural fairness climate vis-à-vis disadvantaged groups. Specifically, we examined whether the perception that societal institutions treat one’s underprivileged group in a procedurally fair way negatively impacts upon minority group members’ support for social change. Six studies (total N = 1,076) supported our claims. In survey Study 1 (Belgian ethnic minorities), procedural fairness climate perceptions were negatively related to support for social change. Cross-sectional Studies 2 (colored South Africans) and 3 (Hispanic Americans) further showed that this relationship is mediated by beliefs in minority mobility. Finally, Studies 4–6 (Asian and African Americans) provided experimental evidence corroborating our causal mediation model. Our findings align with literature demonstrating similar “ironic” effects of procedural fairness among advantaged group members, as they illustrate that the perception of a procedural fairness climate can analogously prevent disadvantaged group members from advocating changes that could alleviate their state of deprivation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Theoretical Contributionssupporting

confidence: 89%

The irony of fairness: How procedural fairness climate perceptions can hinder disadvantaged group members’ support for social change

Dierckx

Hiel

Swart

et al. 2023

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Why might this pattern emerge in the context of race, but not gender? We propose that one explanation might lie at the intersection of system justification theory (Jost & Banaji, 1994) and emerging research highlighting the role of sociopolitical events in shaping intergroup attitudes (Does et al, 2019; Georgeac et al, 2019; Georgeac & Rattan, 2021; Nguyen et al, 2021; Sawyer & Gampa, 2018; Tankard & Paluck, 2017). Study 6 is indeed the only study in this paper that was conducted after the killing of George Floyd in May 2020—a tragic event that revived difficult conversations around racial bias and White privilege worldwide, with unprecedented strength and uniquely widespread public statements from organizations advocating for the value of Black lives.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The business case for diversity backfires: Detrimental effects of organizations’ instrumental diversity rhetoric for underrepresented group members’ sense of belonging.

Georgeac¹,

Rattan²

2023

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

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Many organizations offer justifications for why diversity matters, that is, organizational diversity cases. We investigated their content, prevalence, and consequences for underrepresented groups. We identified the business case, an instrumental rhetoric claiming that diversity is valuable for organizational performance, and the fairness case, a noninstrumental rhetoric justifying diversity as the right thing to do. Using an algorithmic classification, Study 1 (N = 410) found that the business case is far more prevalent than the fairness case among the Fortune 500. Extending theories of social identity threat, we next predicted that the business case (vs. fairness case, or control) undermines underrepresented groups' anticipated sense of belonging to, and thus interest in joining organizations-an effect driven by social identity threat. Study 2 (N = 151) found that LGBTQ+ professionals randomly assigned to read an organization's business (vs. fairness) case anticipated lower belonging, and in turn, less attraction to said organization. Study 3 (N = 371) conceptually replicated this experiment among female (but not male) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) job seekers. Study 4 (N = 509) replicated these findings among STEM women, and documented the hypothesized process of social identity threat. Study 5 (N = 480) found that the business (vs. fairness and control) case similarly undermines African American students' belonging. Study 6 (N = 1,019) replicated Study 5 using a minimal manipulation, and tested these effects' generalizability to Whites. Together, these findings suggest that despite its seeming positivity, the most prevalent organizational diversity case functions as a cue of social identity threat that paradoxically undermines belonging across LGBTQ+ individuals, STEM women, and African Americans, thus hindering organizations' diversity goals.

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“…The demographics of scientists, engineers, and technologists in the United States do not represent the American population at large. Significantly fewer people from working-class backgrounds, Black and African Americans, Hispanics, and women occupy STEM higher education and professions 1 , failing to live up to the nation's promise of equal opportunity and limiting scientific innovation that comes from diverse minds working together 2,3 . Furthermore, onramps for young people to enter and persist in STEM pathways are few 4 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

An identity-based learning community intervention enhances the lived experience and success of first-generation college students in the biological sciences

Wu,

Gibson,

Ziegenbein

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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Working-class first-generation (FG) college students are underrepresented in higher education and STEM. Using a longitudinal quasi-experiment, we tested the impacts of a living learning community (LLC) in the biological sciences on FG students in their first year of college (Semester 1: N = 243; Semester 2: N = 199), across three cohorts (2018–2019, 2019–2020 and 2020–2021). Participation in the LLC enhanced FG students’ belonging, confidence, motivation, grades, knowledge of the social relevance of biology, and reduced STEM anxiety compared to a control group of FG students not in an LLC. LLC participation also increased retention in biological science majors one-year post-intervention compared to the control FG group. Moreover, LLC participation closed the academic gap between FG students in the LLC and honors students from college-educated families in a separate honors LLC. Benefits of the LLC intervention remained stable despite the COVID-19 pandemic, when living together became impossible, producing positive effects across cohorts from pre-pandemic to in-pandemic. Our results suggest that affinity-based learning communities—with or without shared housing—in the transition to college enhance academic thriving, persistence, and reduce social class driven achievement gaps in STEM.

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Perceiving progress toward social equality: A model of signals and sense-making

Cited by 3 publications

References 50 publications

The irony of fairness: How procedural fairness climate perceptions can hinder disadvantaged group members’ support for social change

The irony of fairness: How procedural fairness climate perceptions can hinder disadvantaged group members’ support for social change

The business case for diversity backfires: Detrimental effects of organizations’ instrumental diversity rhetoric for underrepresented group members’ sense of belonging.

An identity-based learning community intervention enhances the lived experience and success of first-generation college students in the biological sciences

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