People prefer to address inequalities by reducing disadvantage over advantage

Abstract: Inequalities are perpetuated through mechanisms that disadvantage certain groups and advantage others. While addressing inequalities can be achieved both by reducing the disadvantages experienced by some or reducing advantages enjoyed by others, we hypothesize and find support across two experiments that people are more willing to address inequalities by reducing disadvantages than advantages. In Study 1, participants rated solutions that addressed disadvantages or advantages that contributed to 10 inequalities. Participants were more supportive of solutions that addressed disadvantaging mechanisms than advantaging ones. In Study 2, participants evaluated a proposal to create more equality in a college context. Participants were more supportive of the proposal, both between and within subjects, when it was framed as reducing a disadvantage than an advantage, and even though the consequence of the proposals were identical. This work suggests that efforts to reduce inequality may be held back by people’s predisposition for how to do so.

Keywords: Inequality, Disadvantage, Advantage, Policy