System‐perpetuating asymmetries between explicit and implicit intergroup attitudes among indigenous and non‐indigenous Chileans

TLDR: In this article, a dissociation between explicit and implicit intergroup evaluation in the reciprocal attitudes between indigenous (Mapuche) and non-indigenous Chileans was demonstrated, which indicated that the members of the low-status minority might explicitly express a moderate evaluative preference for their in-group but might implicitly devalue it.

Abstract: The present research demonstrates a dissociation between explicit and implicit intergroup evaluation in the reciprocal attitudes between indigenous (Mapuche) and non-indigenous Chileans. In both social groups, the explicit measures of attitudes towards the respective in-group and out-group were compared with the Implicit Association Test scores. The results indicate that the members of the low-status minority might explicitly express a moderate evaluative preference for their in-group but might implicitly devalue it. Conversely, the members of the high-status majority might implicitly devalue their out-group but might explicitly express no bias. These results are theoretically framed in terms of system justification, conventional stereotypes and motivated correction processes.

Figures

Table 2 Means of explicit intergroup evaluation as a function of ethnicity

Table 1 Means of latencies of implicit association as a function of ethnicity

Full text

Explicit and Implicit Intergroup Attitudes 1
RUNNING HEAD: Explicit and Implicit Intergroup Attitudes
System-perpetuating Asymmetries Between Explicit and Implicit Intergroup Attitudes
Among Indigenous and Non-indigenous Chileans
Andr
é
s Haye
a
, Roberto Gonz
á
lez
a
, Gabriela Ord
óñ
ez
a
, Gerd Bohner
b
, Frank Siebler
c
,
David Sirlop
ú
a
, Andr
é
s Millar
a
, Pablo de Tezanos-Pinto
a
, and David Torres
a
a Pontificia Universidad Cat
ó
lica de Chile
b Universit
ä
t Bielefeld
c Universitetet i Troms
ø
This is the final author version of an article published in Asian Journal of Social Psychology
(The Japanese Group Dynamics Association; The Asian Association of Social Psychology;
Blackwell Publishing). The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.
Bibliographic details: Haye, A., González, R., Ordóñez, G., Bohner, G., Siebler, F., Sirlopú,
D., Millar, A., De Tezanos-Pinto, P., & Torres, D. (2010). System-perpetuating asymmetries
between explicit and implicit intergroup attitudes among indigenous and non-indigenous
Chileans. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 13, 163-172.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-839X.2010.01311.x

Explicit and Implicit Intergroup Attitudes 2
Author Note
Andr
é
s Haye, Roberto Gonz
á
lez, and Gabriela Ord
óñ
ez, David Sirlop
ú
, Andr
é
s
Millar, Pablo de Tezanos-Pinto, and David Torres: Escuela de Psicolog
í
a, Facultad de
Ciencias Sociales, Pontificia Universidad Cat
ó
lica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Gerd
Bohner: Abteilung f
ü
r Psychologie, Universit
ä
t Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany; Frank
Siebler: Institutt for Psykologi, Universitetet i Troms
ø
, Troms
ø
, Norway.
Preparation of this manuscript was facilitated by a grant from the Chilean National
Board of Scientific and Technological Research (CONICyT) to Roberto Gonz
á
lez
(FONDECYT number 1020954), and by a joint grant (415-alechile/ale-02/21671) from
the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Chilean National Board of
Scientific and Technological Research (CONICyT) to Gerd Bohner and Roberto
Gonz
á
lez.
Address correspondence to Andr
é
s Haye, Escuela de Psicolog
í
a, Pontificia
Universidad Cat
ó
lica de Chile, Vicu
ñ
a Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile. E-mail
address: ahaye@uc.cl.

Explicit and Implicit Intergroup Attitudes 3
Abstract
The present research demonstrates a dissociation between explicit and implicit
intergroup evaluation in the reciprocal attitudes between indigenous (Mapuche) and non-
indigenous Chileans. In both social groups, explicit measures of attitudes towards the
respective ingroup and outgroup were compared with implicit association test scores.
Results indicate that members of the low-status minority may explicitly express a
moderate evaluative preference for their ingroup but may implicitly devaluate it, and that,
conversely, members of the high-status majority may implicitly devaluate their outgroup
but may explicitly express no bias. These results are theoretically framed in terms of
system justification, conventional stereotypes, and motivated correction processes.

Explicit and Implicit Intergroup Attitudes 4
System-perpetuating Asymmetries Between Explicit and Implicit Intergroup Attitudes
Among Indigenous and Non-indigenous Chileans
Minority group members may overtly express an evaluative preference for their
ingroup but may at the same time devaluate it in a covert manner. It has long been
stated that minority groups sometimes internalize a sense of inferiority (Allport, 1954;
Lewin, 1941), particularly under low-status conditions (Jost & Banaji, 1994; Mullen,
Brown, & Smith, 1992; Rudman, Feinberg, & Fairchild, 2002). This covert reproduction of
orientations that are contrary to personal and group interests
–
despite conscious
resistance against the dominant beliefs and stereotypes
–
has been called
false
consciousness
(Marcuse, 1964; Marx & Engels, 1846; Sidanius & Pratto, 1993). The
conscious/unconscious distinction has been used in several recent theories in social
psychology of intergroup attitudes. Because it is a problematic distinction (Gawronski,
Hofmann, & Wilbur, 2006), it is important to state from the outset that we are focusing on
the operational level of attitude measurement, thus employing the conventional
explicit/implicit distinction. Jost and colleagues (Jost, 2001; Jost & Banaji, 1994) argued
that the most straightforward form of false consciousness is the tendency of group
members to covertly prefer the outgroup over the ingroup (in what follows, “outgroup

Explicit and Implicit Intergroup Attitudes 5
favouritism”), which is the opposite of the traditional ingroup bias predicted by social
identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979). Research on social cognition, moreover, suggests
that automatic tendencies may substantially influence behaviour without conscious
awareness (Bargh, 1997; Perugini, 2005). Thus, a covert outgroup favouritism in
disadvantaged groups may constrain their emancipation efforts.
This hidden outgroup favouritism might even be shown by minorities active in
their struggle for equal rights. Examples are some indigenous peoples in Chile,
particularly the Mapuche (see Bengoa, 2000). With approximately 1 million people, the
Mapuche are Chile
’
s largest indigenous group. They are often said to be one of South
America
’
s bravest people. Having fought foreign invasions for over 300 years, in the 18th
century the Mapuche forced the Spanish crown to recognize their autonomy; but conflict
never stopped and in the 1880s, the Mapuche were defeated by the Chilean Republic.
Since then, Mapuche society has been subject to brutal oppression. According to the
2000 census, the Mapuche are Chile
’
s most deprived social group.
During the last 10
years they have intensified their battle to improve their living conditions and to make
Chilean society recognise their rights. In this battle, the Mapuche face negative beliefs

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Hayea et al. this paper discussed the system-perpetuating asymmetries between Explicit and Implicit Intergroup Attitudes among Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Chileans.