Difficulties Awakening the Sense of Injustice and Overcoming Oppression: On the Soporific Effects of System Justification

The Global Refugee Crisis: Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications for Improving Public Attitudes and Facilitating Refugee Resettlement

“…In this way, in the early days of migrant settlement, host communities may show relatively less favorable attitudes toward newcomers. However, to the extent that people perceive something to be "system-sanctioned" (i.e., tied to core values of their sociopolitical system and/or part of the established status quo), system justification research demonstrates that they become more favorable toward it (Feygina, Jost, & Goldsmith, 2010;Gaucher & Jost, 2011). In other words, as the admittance of refugees becomes officially supported by the government and positively portrayed in mass media (i.e., system sanctioned), perceived threat is reduced and host community members' attitudes should become more favorable.…”

Working for the Hierarchical System: The Role of Meritocratic Ideology in the Endorsement of Corruption

“…Meritocratic ideology bolsters people to express the willingness to engage in unjust actions. According to system justification theory, system-justifying beliefs often endorse and bolster the intentions of endogenous unjust behaviors that maintain the status quo, such as favoring the current work situation, willingness to apply complementary stereotypes, supporting immigration policy, favoring power and achievement, expressing outgroup favoritism, and endorsing meritocratic ideologies (Gaucher & Jost, 2011;Gerber & Jackson, 2013;Jost, Blount, Pfeffer, & Hunyady, 2003;Jost & Hunyady, 2005;Kay, Jost, & Young, 2005;Rankin et al, 2009;Wakslak et al, 2007). In hierarchical and authoritative societies, people high in meritocratic ideology are more willing to sustain and conform to traditional hierarchical norms and legitimize privileged and even illegal behaviors that benefit the dominants, such as corruption.…”

Which American way? System justification and ideological polarization concerning the “Ground Zero Mosque”

“…There is evidence that presenting potential changes as "system-sanctioned" can increase support for such initiatives (see Gaucher & Jost, 2011). For instance, one study demonstrated that reframing proenvironmental initiatives as "preserving the American way of life" caused high system-justifiers to express stronger intentions to engage in environmentally sound behaviors and to sign more proenvironmental petitions (Feygina et al, 2010).…”