Heymans Colloquium: Mark Brandt, Distinguishing theories: The case of System Justification Theory, Social Dominance Theory, and Social Identity Theory

LECTURER

Dr. Mark Brandt

(Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands)

TITLE

Distinguishing theories: The case of System Justification Theory, Social Dominance Theory, and Social Identity Theory

DATE & TIME

Thursday, 4 April 2013, 16.00 - 17.30 hrs

LOCATION

Room B.0136 , Bouman Building, Grote Rozenstraat 31, Groningen

ABSTRACT

One view of scientific progress argues that competing theories should be pitted against one another in crucial studies that can distinguish between the predictions of one theory or another. In this talk I will describe one set of crucial studies designed to distinguish System Justification Theory (SJT) from both Social Identity Theory (SIT) and Social Dominance Theory (SDT). Whereas SJT posits that members of low-status groups are more likely to see their social systems as legitimate than members of high-status groups (Jost, Pelham, Sheldon, & Sullivan, 2003), SIT and SDT make the opposite prediction. I test this status–legitimacy hypothesis using data from 3 representative sets of data from the United States and throughout the world. Results suggest that the status–legitimacy effect is not a robust phenomenon. The talk will conclude by considering if and how SJT can continue to be distinguished from SIT and SDT and if there is a more general principle that may be able to integrate the perspectives.

                                For more information you may contact

                                          dr. T. (Toon) Kuppens,

                                  email  address: t.kuppens rug.nl