Justification-Suppression Model

Definition

The Justification-Suppression Model is a psychological theory that explains how individuals rationalize prejudiced attitudes and behaviors. It posits that people often suppress their prejudiced tendencies in public, but may justify and express them in private or when they feel their views are socially acceptable.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Justification-Suppression Model suggests that people have both egalitarian and prejudiced tendencies, but they suppress their prejudiced views when they conflict with social norms.
2. Individuals may justify their prejudiced attitudes by attributing negative characteristics to the target group or by denying the existence of discrimination.
3. The model proposes that people are more likely to express prejudiced views when they believe their attitudes are socially acceptable or when they feel they can rationalize their biases.
4. Factors such as the perceived threat from the target group, the level of social pressure, and the individual's own motivations can influence the suppression or expression of prejudiced attitudes.
5. The Justification-Suppression Model is particularly relevant in understanding the persistence of subtle or covert forms of prejudice and discrimination in society.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Justification-Suppression Model relates to the persistence of prejudiced attitudes and behaviors in society.
  • The Justification-Suppression Model suggests that people often suppress their prejudiced tendencies in public due to social norms, but they may justify and express these attitudes in private or when they feel their views are socially acceptable. This allows prejudiced attitudes to persist, as individuals can rationalize their biases and only express them when they believe it is acceptable to do so. The model highlights how social pressures and individual motivations can influence the suppression or expression of prejudiced views, contributing to the continued existence of subtle or covert forms of discrimination in society.
• Analyze how factors such as perceived threat and social pressure can influence the suppression or expression of prejudiced attitudes according to the Justification-Suppression Model.
  • The Justification-Suppression Model posits that individuals are more likely to suppress their prejudiced attitudes when they face strong social pressure to conform to egalitarian norms. However, when they perceive a threat from the target group or believe their prejudiced views are socially acceptable, they may be more inclined to justify and express their biases. For example, if an individual feels their economic or social status is threatened by a particular group, they may be more motivated to rationalize their prejudiced attitudes and express them openly. Conversely, in environments with clear social sanctions against prejudiced behavior, people are more likely to suppress their biases, even if they still hold them privately. This dynamic allows prejudiced attitudes to persist, as individuals can selectively express or conceal their biases based on contextual factors.
• Evaluate how the Justification-Suppression Model can inform strategies for addressing prejudice and promoting more inclusive and equitable social norms.
  • The Justification-Suppression Model suggests that simply suppressing prejudiced attitudes may not be enough to address the underlying issue, as individuals can still justify and rationalize their biases when they believe it is socially acceptable to do so. To effectively reduce prejudice and discrimination, strategies should focus on challenging the justifications and rationalizations that people use to maintain their prejudiced views, while also strengthening egalitarian social norms and creating environments where expressing biases is consistently unacceptable. This may involve educational programs that expose the flaws in common prejudice-justifying beliefs, as well as policy changes and social campaigns that reinforce the importance of inclusivity and non-discrimination. By addressing both the suppression and justification mechanisms underlying prejudiced attitudes, the Justification-Suppression Model can inform more comprehensive approaches to promoting equity and inclusion in society.

Related terms

Prejudice: A preconceived, often negative, attitude or belief about a person or group based on their race, gender, religion, or other characteristics.

Discrimination: Unfair or unequal treatment of individuals or groups based on their membership in a particular social category.

Social Norms: Unwritten rules and expectations that guide acceptable behavior within a particular social context or environment.