Abstract
Working class conservatism is a perennial issue in social science, but researchers have struggled to provide an adequate characterization. In social psychology, the question has too often been framed in ‘either/or’ terms of whether the disadvantaged are more or less likely to support the status quo than the advantaged. This is a crude rendering of the issue obscuring the fact that even if most working class voters are not conservative, millions are — and conservatives could not win elections without their support. System justification theory highlights epistemic, existential, and relational needs to reduce uncertainty, threat, and social discord that are shared by everyone — and that promote conservative attitudes. I summarize qualitative and quantitative evidence of system justification among the disadvantaged and consider prospects for more constructive political activity.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 73-78 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Current Opinion in Psychology |
| Volume | 18 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2017 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
Cite this
Working class conservatism : a system justification perspective. / Jost, John.
In: Current Opinion in Psychology, Vol. 18, 01.12.2017, p. 73-78.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Working class conservatism
T2 - a system justification perspective
AU - Jost, John
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - Working class conservatism is a perennial issue in social science, but researchers have struggled to provide an adequate characterization. In social psychology, the question has too often been framed in ‘either/or’ terms of whether the disadvantaged are more or less likely to support the status quo than the advantaged. This is a crude rendering of the issue obscuring the fact that even if most working class voters are not conservative, millions are — and conservatives could not win elections without their support. System justification theory highlights epistemic, existential, and relational needs to reduce uncertainty, threat, and social discord that are shared by everyone — and that promote conservative attitudes. I summarize qualitative and quantitative evidence of system justification among the disadvantaged and consider prospects for more constructive political activity.
AB - Working class conservatism is a perennial issue in social science, but researchers have struggled to provide an adequate characterization. In social psychology, the question has too often been framed in ‘either/or’ terms of whether the disadvantaged are more or less likely to support the status quo than the advantaged. This is a crude rendering of the issue obscuring the fact that even if most working class voters are not conservative, millions are — and conservatives could not win elections without their support. System justification theory highlights epistemic, existential, and relational needs to reduce uncertainty, threat, and social discord that are shared by everyone — and that promote conservative attitudes. I summarize qualitative and quantitative evidence of system justification among the disadvantaged and consider prospects for more constructive political activity.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85027973418&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.08.020
DO - 10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.08.020
M3 - Review article
C2 - 28843724
AN - SCOPUS:85027973418
VL - 18
SP - 73
EP - 78
JO - Current Opinion in Psychology
JF - Current Opinion in Psychology
SN - 2352-250X
ER -