Affirmative action issue framing: Demographic differences and associations between attitudes and beh (2011)

Undergraduates: Shelby Dawkins-Law, Tiffany M. Griffin

Faculty Advisor: Enrique Neblett
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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While an explicit definition of affirmative action exists, popular discourse has redefined affirmative action using particular schemas, or issue framings, that vary the purpose and consequences assigned to the policy. These framings have been differentially linked to opinions on the policy. This study builds from previous findings to examine demographic variation in endorsement of the six prevalent affirmative action issue framings. We also examined the associations between issue framings and behaviors and between issue framings and endorsement. Last, we assessed these associations as they related to race of the decision maker. To unveil these differences and associations we recruited a multi-ethnic sample of 1,061 undergraduate students across three regions. Participants read an ostensible essay of a graduate school applicant and dichotomously measured whether participants endorsed applicants for affirmative action. We assessed the degree of agreement with each issue framing as well as attitudes toward affirmative action policy. Based on existing literature we expected and found differences in issue framing endorsements depending on the race of the decision maker. These results have practical and theoretical implications for social policy creation and implementation and can dispel discriminatory decision making.