University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA.
Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA.
Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2022 Jan;48(1):105-119. doi: 10.1177/0146167221994025. Epub 2021 Mar 1.
Meritocracy is a prominent narrative embedded in America's educational system: work hard and anyone can achieve success. Yet, racial disparities in education suggest this narrative does not tell the full story. Four studies ( = 1,439) examined how applicants for a teaching position are evaluated when they invoke different narratives regarding who or what is to blame for racial disparities (i.e., individuals vs. systems). We hypothesized these evaluations would differ depending on teacher race (Black/White) and evaluator political orientation. Results revealed conservatives evaluated Black and White applicants advocating for personal responsibility more favorably than applicants advocating for social responsibility. Liberals preferred social responsibility applicants, but only when they were White. They were more ambivalent in their evaluations and hiring decisions if the applicants were Black. Our findings suggest that Black applicants advocating for social change are penalized by both liberal and conservative evaluators.
努力工作，任何人都可以取得成功。然而，教育领域的种族差异表明，这一叙事并没有讲述完整的故事。四项研究（n=1439）考察了当申请人援引不同的叙事来解释种族差异的责任归属（即个人还是制度）时，他们在申请教师职位时会受到怎样的评价。我们假设这些评价会因教师的种族（黑人/白人）和评估者的政治取向而有所不同。结果表明，保守派评估那些主张个人责任的黑人和白人申请人比主张社会责任的申请人更有利。自由派更喜欢主张社会责任的申请人，但前提是他们是白人。如果申请人是黑人，他们在评价和雇佣决策上就会更加犹豫不决。我们的研究结果表明，主张社会变革的黑人申请人会受到自由派和保守派评估者的双重惩罚。
