Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Palliative Function of System Justification: Concurrent Benefits Versus Longer-Term Costs to Wellbeing

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined the extent to which system justification buffered the negative effect of retrospective experiences of active harm from general sources in society on life satisfaction during the same assessment period, and prospectively 1 year later. Results from a nationally representative sample indicated that the retrospective assessment of active harm and quality of life were uncorrelated for people who endorsed system justifying ideology (N = 6,518). Study 2 replicated the concurrent buffering effect of system justification on subjective wellbeing and demonstrated that the effect reversed over time. For people high in system justification beliefs, societal-level harm prospectively predicted lower life satisfaction 1 year later (N = 136 undergraduates). Perceiving the system as fair and legitimate in the face of harm from others in society has opposing short and longer-term effects on wellbeing. We argue that these opposing effects occur because although system justification trumps experiences of harm and buffers life satisfaction in the short-term; the resulting experience-belief conflict engenders a state of ideological dissonance that predicts negative psychological outcomes down the track.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. One reviewer noted that this difference may introduce a method bias to the study; however, prior research does not suggest response differences between postal and online surveys (Rowe et al. 2006; Pettit 2002).

References

  • Aiken, L. S., & West, S. G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. London, UK: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole, D. A., & Maxwell, S. E. (2003). Testing mediation models with longitudinal data: Questions and tips in the use of structural equation modeling. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 558–577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalbert, C. (2002). Beliefs in a just world as a buffer against anger. Social Justice Research, 15, 123–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Horwitz, J., & Emmons, R. A. (1985). Happiness of the very wealthy. Social Indicators Research, 16, 263–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Ng, W., Harter, J., & Arora, R. (2010). Wealth and happiness across the world: Material prosperity predicts life evaluation, whereas psychosocial prosperity predicts positive feeling. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99, 52–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Lucas, R. E. (2003). Personality, culture, and subjective wellbeing: Emotional and cognitive evaluations of life. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 403–425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Toward an economy of well-being. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 5, 1–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnellan, M. B., Frederick, L., Oswald, B. M. B., & Lucas, R. E. (2006). The Mini-IPIP scales: Tiny-yet-effective measures of the Big Five factors of personality. Psychological Assessment, 18, 192–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finch, B. K., Kolody, B., & Vega, W. A. (2000). Perceived discrimination and depression among Mexican-origin adults in California. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 41, 295–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Godfrey, E. B. (2011). Motive vs. status: System justification, mental health and behavior among disadvantaged mothers and their children (manuscript submitted for publication).

  • Hammond, M. D., & Sibley, C. G. (2011). Why are benevolent sexists happier? Sex Roles, 65, 332–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, R., Tobias, M., Jeffreys, M., Waldegrave, K., Karlsen, S., & Nazroo, J. (2006). Effects of self-reported racial discrimination and deprivation on Maori health and inequalities in New Zealand: Cross sectional study. The Lancet, 367(9527), 2005–2009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackman, M. R. (1994). The velvet glove: Paternalism and conflict in gender, class, and race relations. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jost, J. T., & Banaji, M. R. (1994). The role of stereotyping in system-justification and the production of false consciousness. British Journal of Social Psychology, 33, 1–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jost, J. T., Banaji, M. R., & Nosek, B. A. (2004). A decade of system justification theory: Accumulated evidence of conscious and unconscious bolstering of the status quo. Political Psychology, 25, 881–919.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jost, J. T., & Hunyady, O. (2002). The psychology of system justification and the palliative function of ideology. European Review of Social Psychology, 13, 111–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jost, J. T., Liviatan, I., van der Toorn, J., Ledgerwood, A., Mandisodza, A., & Nosek, B. A. (2010). System justification: How do we know it’s motivated? In A. C. Kay, et al. (Eds.), The psychology of justice and legitimacy: The Ontario symposium (Vol. 11). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jost, J. T., Pelham, B. W., Sheldon, O., & Sullivan, B. N. (2003). Social inequality and the reduction of ideological dissonance on behalf of the system: Evidence of enhanced system justification among the disadvantaged. European Journal of Social Psychology, 33, 13–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jost, J. T., Pietrzak, J., Liviatan, I., Mandisodza, A., & Napier, J. (2008). System justification as conscious and nonconscious goal pursuit. In J. Shah & W. Gardner (Eds.), Handbook of motivation science. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jost, J. T., & Thompson, E. P. (2000). Group-based dominance and opposition to equality as independent predictors of self-esteem, ethnocentrism, and social policy attitudes among African Americans and European Americans. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 36, 209–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D., & Deaton, A. (2010). High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being. Proceedings of the National academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107, 16489–16493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kay, A. C., & Jost, J. T. (2003). Complementary justice: Effects of “poor but happy” and “poor but honest” stereotype exemplars on system justification and implicit activation of the justice motive. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 823–837.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lerner, M. J. (1980). The belief in a just world: A fundamental delusion. New York: Plenum Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Malka, A., & Miller, D. T. (2007). Political-economic values and the relationship between socio-economic status and self-esteem. Journal of Personality, 75, 25–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Napier, J. L., & Jost, J. T. (2008). Why are conservatives happier than liberals? Psychological Science, 19, 565–572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Napier, J. L., Thorisdottir, H., & Jost, J. T. (2010). The joy of sexism? A multinational investigation of hostile and benevolent justifications for gender inequality and their relations to subjective well-being. Sex Roles, 62, 405–419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien, L. T., & Major, B. (2005). System-justifying beliefs and psychological well-being: The roles of group status and identity. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31, 1718–1729.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paradies, Y. C. (2006). A systematic review of empirical research on self-reported racism and health. International Journal of Epidemiology, 35, 888–901.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pascoe, E. A., & Richman, L. S. (2009). Perceived discrimination and health: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 135, 531–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pettit, F. A. (2002). A comparison of World-Wide Web and paper-and-pencil personality questionnaires. Behaviors Research Methods, Instruments & Computers, 34(1), 50–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quinn, D. M., & Crocker, J. (1999). When ideology hurts: Effects of belief in the Protestant ethic and feeling overweight on the psychological well-being of women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 402–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rankin, L. E., Jost, J. T., & Wakslak, C. J. (2009). System justification and the meaning of life: Are the existential benefits of ideology distributed unequally across racial groups? Social Justice Research, 22, 312–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raver, J. L., & Nishii, L. H. (2010). Once, twice, or three times as harmful? Ethnic harassment, gender harassment, and generalized workplace harassment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95, 236–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rowe, G., Poortinga, W., & Pidgeon, N. (2006). A comparison of responses to internet and postal surveys in a public engagement context. Science Communication, 27, 352–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sengupta, N. K., Osborne, D., Houkamau, C. A., Hoverd, W. J., Wilson, M. S., West-Newman, T., & Sibley, C. G. (2012). Income and subjective wellbeing in New Zealand (manuscript submitted for publication).

  • Sibley, C. G. (2011). The BIAS Treatment Scale (BIAS-TS): A measure of the subjective experience of active and passive harm and facilitation. Journal of Personality Assessment, 93, 300–315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sibley, C. G., Luyten, N., Purnomo, M., Moberly, A., Wootton, L. W., Hammond, M. D., et al. (2011). The Mini-IPIP6: Validation and extension of a short measure of the Big-Six factors of personality in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 40, 142–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidanius, J., & Pratto, F. (1999). Social dominance: An intergroup theory of social hierarchy and oppression. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Statistics New Zealand. (2006). 2006 Census of populations and dwellings. Wellington, NZ: Statistics New Zealand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, D. R., Neighbors, H. W., & Jackson, J. S. (2003). Racial/ethnic discrimination and health: Findings from community studies. American Journal of Public Health, 93, 200–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yip, T., Gee, G. C., & Takeuchi, D. T. (2008). Racial discrimination and psychological distress: The impact of ethnic identity and age among immigrant and United States-born Asian adults. Developmental Psychology, 44, 787–800.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Collection of the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study 2009 (NZAVS-09) data analyzed in this paper was funded by University of Auckland FRDF (#3624435/9853) and ECREA (#3626075) grants awarded to Chris Sibley.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Jessica F. Harding

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand

    Chris G. Sibley

Authors
  1. Jessica F. Harding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chris G. Sibley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chris G. Sibley.

Additional information

Order of authorship is alphabetical. Jessica F. Harding and Chris G. Sibley contributed equally to this paper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Harding, J.F., Sibley, C.G. The Palliative Function of System Justification: Concurrent Benefits Versus Longer-Term Costs to Wellbeing. Soc Indic Res 113, 401–418 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-012-0101-1

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-012-0101-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation