Vicarious Justifications for Prejudice in the Application of Democratic Values

Abstract

Democratic values are widely endorsed principles including commitments to protect individual freedoms. Paradoxically, the widespread normativity of these ideas can be used to justify prejudice. With two nationally representative U.S. samples, we find that prejudiced respondents defend another’s prejudiced speech, using democratic values as justification. This vicarious defense occurs primarily among those who share the prejudice and only when the relevant prejudice is expressed. Several different democratic values (e.g., due process, double jeopardy) can serve as justifications—the issue is more about when something can be used as a justification for prejudice and less about what can be used as one. Endorsing democratic values can be a common rhetorical device to expand what is acceptable and protect what is otherwise unacceptable to express in public.

Keywords

prejudice/stereotyping norms racism

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