Priming status-legitimizing beliefs: Examining the impact on perceived anti-White bias, zero-sum beliefs, and support for Affirmative Action among White people

The current research examines how status‐legitimizing beliefs (SLBs) influence White people's perceptions of anti‐White bias, endorsement of zero‐sum beliefs, and support for Affirmative Action. We suggest that SLBs perpetuate inequality by increasing White people's perceptions of zero‐sum beliefs and anti‐White bias, which in turn lead to decreased support for Affirmative Action. White individuals primed with SLBs perceived greater anti‐White bias, endorsed greater zero‐sum beliefs, and indicated less support for Affirmative Action than individuals primed with neutral content. Mediation analysis revealed that the SLB prime decreased support for Affirmative Action by increasing perceptions of anti‐White bias. This research offers experimental evidence that SLBs contribute to White people's perceptions of anti‐White bias and to decreased support for Affirmative Action.