Why does the "mental shotgun" fire system-justifying bullets?. Issue 5 (October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gaucher, Danielle; Jost, John T.
• Is Part Of: Behavioral and brain sciences. Volume 37:Issue 5(2014)
• Page Start: 489
• Page End: 489
• Publication Date: 2014-10
• Subjects: Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Brain -- Periodicals; 616.89142
• DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X13003725
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-525X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>We suggest that people privilege explanations relying on inherent rather than contingent factors not only because of an innate cognitive tendency to monitor reality, but because doing so satisfies the desire to perceive the societal status quo as legitimate. In support, we describe experimental studies linking the activation of system justification motivation to the endorsement of inherence-based (essentialist) explanations.</p> </abstract>