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The Significance of Affirmative Action for theSouls of White Folk: Further Implications of a Helping Model
Author(s) -
Pratkanis Anthony R.,
Turner Marlene E.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/0022-4537.00147
Subject(s) - affirmative action , altruism (biology) , dominance (genetics) , democracy , white (mutation) , social psychology , action (physics) , psychology , political science , law , politics , biochemistry , chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , gene
We develop further our model of affirmative action as help (Pratkanis & Turner, 1996b; Turner & Pratkanis, 1994) by looking at the impact of aid on the donor. White Americans often take one of three approaches toaffirmative action. First, they can reject affirmative action because of their own personal frustrations. Second, they can engage in selective aid that maintains the basic patterns of social dominance. Both of these approaches can damage the psychological functioning of Whites. Third, White Americans can proactively seek to remove discriminatory barriers in a process we call democratic altruism, thereby opening the possibility of learning from diverse others and growth as a person. We conclude by discussing tactics for promoting democratic altruism.