Ignoring biased feedback: Membership in a stigmatized group as a moderator of mnemic neglect. Issue 2 (4th March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Newman, Leonard S.; Eccleston, Collette P.; Oikawa, Masanori
• Is Part Of: Journal of social psychology. Volume 157:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 152
• Page End: 164
• Publication Date: 2017-03-04
• Subjects: Psychological defense -- self-concept -- stigma; Social psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Social -- Periodicals; Psychologie sociale -- Périodiques; Sociale psychologie; Electronic journals; 302.05
• DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2016.1176550
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4545

Abstract

ABSTRACT: A personal history of being the target of biased negative evaluation may lead individuals to habitually divert attention from negative feedback when it is possible to do so. Two studies tested for the first time the hypothesis that people belonging to a stigmatized group (Black students on a predominantly White campus) will, relative to non-stigmatized people, be more likely to engage in mnemic neglect —that is, they will reveal a greater tendency to insulate themselves from the effects of negative self-relevant feedback by means of motivated forgetting. The results of Study 1 supported that hypothesis. In Study 2, priming the concept of egalitarianism reduced the tendency of Black participants to engage in higher levels of mnemic neglect, consistent with the idea that the higher observed levels of mnemic neglect among stigmatized individuals derives from expecting biased, discriminatory responses from other people.