EVALUATIONS OF AFFIRMATIVE-ACTION APPLICANTS - PERCEIVED FAIRNESS, HUMAN-CAPITAL, OR SOCIAL IDENTITY

This study examined three explanations for evaluations of an affirmati ve action university applicant: type of policy, the human capital mode l, and social identity Seventy-nine (84% white, 11% black, 3% Asian, a nd 2% other) participants read a university's admissions policy that v aried the type of policy (quota or standard): qualifications of the ap plicant (weak, strong), and group affiliation (ingroup, outgroup). The n they rated the applicant, policy, and university. Results indicated support for the social identity perspective. The ingroup applicant was evaluated more favorably when the affirmative action policy was perce ived to he fair But the ingroup member Mins derogated when the affirma tive action policy was perceived as unfair. The perceived fairness of the affirmative action policy seemed to have little effect on evaluati ons of the outgroup member: The implications of these findings are dis cussed.