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Do You Say Something When It's Your Boss? The Role of Perpetrator Power in Prejudice Confrontation
Author(s) -
AshburnNardo Leslie,
Blanchar John C.,
Petersson Jessica,
Morris Kathryn A.,
Goodwin Stephanie A.
Publication year - 2014
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/josi.12082
Subject(s) - prejudice (legal term) , social psychology , psychology , power (physics) , feeling , boss , perception , racism , law , political science , physics , materials science , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , metallurgy
Two experiments examined the role of perpetrator power in witnesses’ decision to confront a prejudicial remark. In Experiment 1, participants who witnessed a sexist remark by a higher‐power (vs. an equal‐power) perpetrator were significantly less likely to express confrontation intentions, despite finding the remark highly biased and inappropriate. In Experiment 2, participants read scenarios involving a sexist versus racist remark perpetrated by someone higher vs. lower vs. equal in power, and they reported their confrontation intentions. Perpetrator power again inhibited direct confrontation intentions, and this effect was mediated by perceptions of responsibility for intervening, perceived ability to decide how to respond, and perceived costs versus benefits of confronting. Findings were not qualified by discrimination type (racism vs. sexism) or by individual differences in participant prejudice. Consistent with power‐as‐approach theory, feeling powerless increased sensitivity to confrontation obstacles and thereby inhibited confrontation intentions.