Authors: Leach, Colin Wayne¹; Iyer, Aarti²; Pedersen, Anne³

Source: British Journal of Social Psychology, Volume 46, Number 1, March 2007 , pp. 191-204(14)

Abstract:

We examined (structurally advantaged) non-Aborigines' willingness for political action against government redress to (structurally disadvantaged) Aborigines in Australia. We found non-Aborigines opposed to government redress to be high in symbolic racism and to perceive their ingroup as deprived relative to Aborigines. However, only perceived relative deprivation was associated with feelings of group-based anger. In addition, consistent with relative deprivation and emotion theory, it was group-based anger that fully mediated a willingness for political action against government redress. Thus, the specific group-based emotion of anger explained why symbolic racism and relative deprivation promoted a willingness for political action against government redress to a structurally disadvantaged out-group. Theoretical and political implications are discussed.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1348/014466606X99360

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychology, University of California Santa Cruz, USA 2: School of Psychology, University of Exeter, UK 3: School of Psychology, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia