1 University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
3 Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2018 Feb;44(2):186-199. doi: 10.1177/0146167217733078. Epub 2017 Oct 3.
Drawing on just-world theory and research into the suppression and justification of prejudice, we propose that the use of relative compared with absolute measures of an innocent victim's character enables observers to derogate the victim without transparently violating social norms or values proscribing derogation. In Study 1, we found that positive feelings expressed toward victims mirrored social norms proscribing negative reactions toward them. In Studies 2a, 2b, and 3, innocent victims were evaluated more negatively when ratings were made using relative (i.e., compared with evaluations of the average student or the self) versus absolute scales. In Study 4, this effect of scale type on derogation was stronger for people higher in the motivation to avoid prejudiced reactions to victims. Relative judgments seem to allow individuals to enact their counternormative motivation to derogate the victim under the cover of ambiguity and ostensibly rationally motivated social comparison processes.
借鉴公正世界理论和对偏见抑制与合理化的研究，我们提出，使用相对而非绝对的无辜受害者特征衡量标准，可以让观察者在不明显违反禁止贬低他人的社会规范或价值观的情况下，对受害者进行贬低。在研究 1 中，我们发现，对受害者表达的积极情感反映了禁止对他们做出负面反应的社会规范。在研究 2a、2b 和 3 中，当使用相对（即与对普通学生或自身的评价相比）而非绝对量表进行评分时，无辜受害者会受到更负面的评价。在研究 4 中，对于回避对受害者产生偏见反应的动机较强的人，量表类型对贬低的影响更大。相对判断似乎允许个人在模糊性的掩护下，以及表面上理性的社会比较过程的动机下，实施贬低受害者的反规范动机。
