Being an Effective Ally: Values, Self-Efficacy, and Outgroup Collective Efficacy Predict Support for Autonomy- and Assistance-Focused Affirmative Action Policies
2021-08
Loading...
View/Download File
Persistent link to this item
Statistics
View StatisticsJournal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Title
Being an Effective Ally: Values, Self-Efficacy, and Outgroup Collective Efficacy Predict Support for Autonomy- and Assistance-Focused Affirmative Action Policies
Authors
Published Date
2021-08
Publisher
Type
Thesis or Dissertation
Abstract
Members of high-status groups (e.g., White Americans) often act as allies who invest effort to benefit members of low-status groups (e.g., Black Americans). Although this effort can manifest in a wide range of behaviors, little is known about what predicts these varied actions. The current research investigated motivation and cognition as predictors of White Americans’ attitudes and behavior to reduce racial inequality. Specifically, I argue that both egalitarian values and self-efficacy are necessary to predict Whites’ efforts to reduce group-based inequality (i.e., allyship). Study 1 used a large representative database to provide correlational evidence that individuals’ egalitarian beliefs interact with sociopolitical self-efficacy to predict support for affirmative action policies. Building on the findings from Study 1, Study 2 tested whether White Americans’ perceptions of Black Americans’ collective efficacy are associated with different types of ally behavior (i.e., policies that are focused on developing Blacks’ autonomy vs. those that provide direct assistance to fulfill immediate needs). Study 2 showed that perceptions of Blacks’ collective efficacy indeed moderated the interaction between egalitarian beliefs and self-efficacy. Findings revealed that White Americans who both have strong egalitarian beliefs and feel efficacious in sociopolitical domains were more likely to support both autonomy- and assistance-focused policies when they believe that Blacks are incapable of producing positive social change, compared to when they believe that Blacks are capable of creating such change. However, this effect was reversed for egalitarians who feel inefficacious, suggesting the positive effect of perceiving Blacks as capable of changing society. Study 3 replicated this three-way interaction using an experimental approach, which attests to the causal role of perceptions of Blacks’ collective efficacy in shaping Whites’ support for policies and programs that are aimed at reducing racial inequality. Findings from these three studies have implications for how powerholders in institutions, organizations, and society can become the catalyst for reducing group-based inequality. Implications for public and organization policy, campaigns, and interventions will be discussed.
Description
University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. August 2021. Major: Psychology. Advisors: Mark Snyder, Marti Hope Gonzales. 1 computer file (PDF); viii, 171 pages.
Related to
Replaces
License
Collections
Series/Report Number
Funding information
Isbn identifier
Doi identifier
Previously Published Citation
Suggested citation
Euh, Hyun. (2021). Being an Effective Ally: Values, Self-Efficacy, and Outgroup Collective Efficacy Predict Support for Autonomy- and Assistance-Focused Affirmative Action Policies. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/259710.
Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.