Page 97 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

4. CROUP-LEVEL EXPLANATIONS
reflect a choice made by dominant social groups that occupy positions of
power. Finally, the differences that become most salient within a particular
society provide dominant group members not only a sense of identity, but
also a positive sense of self. 67
For example, West (1993) suggested that without Blacks, European
Americans would have no sense of what it means to be White in America
today. Instead their identity would be largely shaped by other character­
istics that may reflect previous struggles over resources such as national
origin. Socially dominant groups achieve a sense of their own identity
by highlighting the differences between themselves and others. These dif­
ferences are also used to justify attitudes and negative behaviors toward
disempowered others, thus securing the dominant person's positive sense
of self and own self-interests.
In a related vein, Cox (1994) identified macro and micro legacy effects
that demonstrate how a history of social marking is embedded in modern
personal and professional relationships. Macro legacy effects involve how
individuals enact relationships with members of other social groups based
upon their shared (likely negative) history. For example, the history of en­
slavement of Africans by Europeans and European Americans, not only
creates tension between modern day Blacks and Whites, but also reinforces
the identities of the groups. Whites are seen as powerful and controlling,
and Blacks are seen as weak yet needing to be controlled. Micro legacy
effects reflect the extent to which one's personal (rather than social group)
history with a member of one's outgroup affects other subsequent rela­
tionships. For example, if a Latino student has a negative experience with
a White teacher, that student may become distrusting and antagonistic to­
ward other White teachers and authority figures. Therefore, both macro
and micro legacy effects interfere with employees' abilities to initiate and
develop productive relationships with outgroup members.

Privilege

Another way to think about the importance of social group membership
in organizations is to consider how demographic characteristics can afford
or deny one's privilege.
Wildman (1996) defines privilege as the

"... systemic conferral of benefit and advantage. Members of a privileged group
gain this status by affiliation, conscious or not and chosen or not, to the domi­
nant side of a power system .. .Affiliation with the dominant side of the power
line is often defined as merit and worthiness. Characteristics and behaviors
shared by those on the dominant side of the power line often delineate the
societal norm." (p. 29)