SOCIAL-DOMINANCE ORIENTATION AND THE IDEOLOGICAL LEGITIMIZATION OF SOCIAL-POLICY

Much of politics is involved with the distribution of resources and th e regulation of intergroup relations. Social dominance theory posits t hat social ideologies provide social justification for policies that h ave unequal effects on different social groups. In the present studies , we examine the mediating role that ideologies have in transforming p eople's general orientation toward group inequality into policy suppor t. Using data from 5 samples, we offer evidence that social dominance orientation orients people to support discriminatory ideologies, which in turn influence support for policies. Support for the theoretical m odel was shown in studies of both long-standing social policy attitude s, such as toward social welfare and military programs, and of unfoldi ng political events, including Clarence Thomas' nomination to the Supr eme Court, the Persian Gulf War, and reinstitution of the death penalt y in California.