Inequality, discrimination, and the power of the status quo: Direct evidence for a motivation to see the way things are as the way they should be.

• DOI: 10.1037/a0015997
• Publication Date: 2009-08-18T13:00:13Z
• Authors: Aaron C. Kay; Danielle Gaucher; Jennifer M. Peach; Kristin Laurin; Justin Friesen; Mark P. Zanna; Steven J. Spencer
• Keywords: System Justification; Status quo bias; Stereotype (UML); Social status; Social comparison theory; Social Inequality

How powerful is the status quo in determining people's social ideals? The authors propose (a) that people engage injunctification, is, a motivated tendency to construe current as most desirable and reasonable state of affairs (i.e., representative how things should be); (b) this driven, at least part, by desire justify their sociopolitical systems; (c) injunctification has profound implications for maintenance inequality societal change. Four studies, across variety domains, provided supportive evidence. When motivation system was experimentally heightened, participants injunctified extant political power (Study 1), public funding policies 2), unequal gender demographics business spheres (Studies 3 4, respectively). It also demonstrated phenomenon increased derogation those who act counter 4). Theoretical justification theory, stereotype formation, affirmative action, are discussed.