Km. Ruggiero et al., HOW DISADVANTAGED GROUP MEMBERS COPE WITH DISCRIMINATION WHEN THEY PERCEIVE THAT SOCIAL SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE, Journal of applied social psychology, 27(18), 1997, pp. 1581-1600
This experiment examined how disadvantaged group members cope with dis
crimination when they perceive that social support is available. Women
reacted to a failing test grade after ambiguous information about the
probability for discrimination. With no social support, women minimiz
ed discrimination and attributed their failure to the quality of their
answers. Participants were less inclined to minimize discrimination w
hen social support was available. When they perceived that either emot
ional or informational support was available, women were equally likel
y to blame their failure on discrimination as on the quality of their
answers. The results revealed less minimization of personal discrimina
tion when both emotional and informational support were available, in
which case participants blamed their failure more on discrimination an
d less on themselves.