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The Psychology of System Justification and the Palliative Function of Ideology

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  • Jost, John T.

    (Stanford U)

  • Hunyady, Orsolya

    (U of Debrecen and U of California, Berkeley)

Abstract

In this chapter, we trace the historical and intellectual origins of system justification theory, summarize the basic assumptions of the theory, and derive 18 specific hypotheses from a system justification perspective. We review and integrate empirical evidence addressing these hypotheses concerning the rationalization of the status quo, the internalization of inequality (outgroup favoritism and depressed entitlement), relations among ego, group, and system justification motives (including consequences for attitudinal ambivalence, self-esteem, and psychological well-being), and the reduction of ideological dissonance. Turning to the question of why people would engage in system justification--especially when it conflicts with other interests and motives--we propose that system justifying ideologies serve a palliative function in that they reduce anxiety, guilt, dissonance, discomfort, and uncertainty for those who are advantaged and disadvantaged.

Suggested Citation

  • Jost, John T. & Hunyady, Orsolya, 2002. "The Psychology of System Justification and the Palliative Function of Ideology," Research Papers 1754, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecl:stabus:1754
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    File URL: http://gsbapps.stanford.edu/researchpapers/library/RP1754.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jost, John T. & Haines, Elizabeth L., 2000. "Placating the Powerless: Effects of Legitimate and Illegitimate Explanation on Affect, Memory and Stereotyping," Research Papers 1606, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
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    Cited by:

    1. Martin, Ashley E., 2023. "The divergent effects of diversity ideologies for race and gender relations," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    2. Proudfoot, Devon & Kay, Aaron C. & Mann, Heather, 2015. "Motivated employee blindness: The impact of labor market instability on judgment of organizational inefficiencies," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 108-122.
    3. Jessica Harding & Chris Sibley, 2013. "The Palliative Function of System Justification: Concurrent Benefits Versus Longer-Term Costs to Wellbeing," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 113(1), pages 401-418, August.
    4. Agnieszka Bojanowska & Łukasz D. Kaczmarek, 2022. "How Healthy and Unhealthy Values Predict Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being: Dissecting Value-Related Beliefs and Behaviours," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 211-231, January.
    5. Teresa María García Muñoz & Juliette Milgram Baleix & Omar Odeh Odeh, 2022. "System Justification Beliefs and Life Satisfaction. The role of inequality aversion and support for redistribution," ThE Papers 22/15, Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada..
    6. Filippo Rutto & Silvia Russo & Cristina Mosso, 2014. "Development and Validation of a Democratic System Justification Scale," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(2), pages 645-655, September.
    7. Kevin Durrheim & Michael Quayle & Colin G Tredoux & Kim Titlestad & Larry Tooke, 2016. "Investigating the Evolution of Ingroup Favoritism Using a Minimal Group Interaction Paradigm: The Effects of Inter- and Intragroup Interdependence," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(11), pages 1-26, November.
    8. Vainio, Annukka & Paloniemi, Riikka, 2014. "The complex role of attitudes toward science in pro-environmental consumption in the Nordic countries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 18-27.
    9. Hsee, Christopher K. & Shen, Luxi & Zhang, Shirley & Chen, Jingqiu & Zhang, Li, 2012. "Fate or fight: Exploring the hedonic costs of competition," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 119(2), pages 177-186.
    10. Jost, John T. & Blount, Sally & Pfeffer, Jeffrey & Hunyady, Gyorgy, 2003. "Fair Market Ideology: Its Cognitive-Motivational Underpinnings," Research Papers 1816, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    11. Srikanth, Peruvemba B. & Thakur, Munish, 2022. "The influence of karma duty orientation and attention regulation in the relationship between abusive supervision and subordinate performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 278-288.
    12. Chris K Deak & Matthew D Hammond & Chris G Sibley & Joseph Bulbulia, 2021. "Individuals’ number of children is associated with benevolent sexism," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(5), pages 1-16, May.
    13. Katarzyna Samson, 2018. "Trust as a mechanism of system justification," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-22, October.

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