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Preference for the Diversity Policy Label Versus the Affirmative Action Policy Label

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Abstract

Study 1 assessed associations with the labels “diversity policy” (DP) and “affirmative action policy” (AAP) and perceptions of potential policy components. Student and community participants (N = 143) completed a survey assessing associations with one of the policy labels. Both policies evoked similar associations such as “race/minorities” and “equality/equal opportunity,” but the AAP was more often associated with “bias/inequality/discrimination,” “unfairness,” and “racism/prejudice.” When rating potential policy components, reverse discrimination was considered more likely under the AAP. In Study 2 we explored the evaluation of equivalent policy components associated with different policy labels. Student participants (N = 126) rated the policy labeled as the DP more favorably than the AAP. Both studies suggest more favorable attitudes toward the DP label.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by two grants from the Connecticut State University system AAUP in 2009 and 2013. The authors wish to thank Jonathan Iuzzini for help with data collection and comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. The authors also wish to thank their undergraduate research assistants for their contributions to this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham Street, Willimantic, CT, USA

    Madeleine A. Fugère, Raena Beetham, Molly Haynes & Rachel A. Schaedler

  2. Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA

    Christie Cathey

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  1. Madeleine A. Fugère
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  2. Christie Cathey
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  3. Raena Beetham
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Correspondence to Madeleine A. Fugère.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and the APA ethical standards.

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Portions of this research were presented at the 2009 and 2013 meetings for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

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Fugère, M.A., Cathey, C., Beetham, R. et al. Preference for the Diversity Policy Label Versus the Affirmative Action Policy Label. Soc Just Res 29, 206–227 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-016-0265-y

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