I'm Not Prejudiced, But ....': Moral Credentials and Perceptions of Discrimination

Research indicates that individuals tend to express prejudiced beliefs more frequently when their words or deeds can be attributed to something other than prejudice (Crandall & Eshleman, 2003). One means people use to 'cover' their expressions of prejudice is through the presentation of moral credentials (Monin & Miller, 2001). Moral credentials are pieces of evidence accrued by a person that are intended to serve as a record of the individual's nonprejudiced behavior or beliefs. In Study 1, I generated examples of statements and behaviors that individuals believe establish moral credentials. In Study 2, I examined the extent to which the presentation of moral credentials affects perceptions of ambiguously-discriminatory situations. Results indicate that moral credentials 'work better' for observers who are majority group members than recipients who are stigmatized individuals. Additionally, the relationship between participant status (majority group members v. stigmatized individuals) and perceptions of scenarios presenting moral credentials was mediated by participants' identification with their ingroup.