Entre méritocratie et préjugés, la discrimination positive peut-elle se frayer un chemin ?

Résumé En Fr

Can Affirmative Action Make one’s Way Between Meritocracy and Prejudice? Research shows that prejudice against minorities and approval of meritocratic values are powerful determinants of the successful implementation of affirmative action policies aiming to assist minorities in their occupational mobility. Beliefs in meritocracy predict individuals’ opposition to strong affirmative action measures, that is, measures that put high emphasis on the minority group membership. The level of prejudice predicts individuals’ opposition to milder measures, that is, measures that take into account the targets’ professional qualifications in addition to their group membership. The present study was carried out in a naturalistic setting involving Human Resources executives working in French companies. We manipulated the participants’ approval of meritocratic values, and assessed their judgment of various affirmative action policies, varying in strength, in favor of women’s occupational mobility. The results showed, on the one hand, that lesser approval of meritocratic values instigates a more favorable judgment of strong affirmative action policies, but decreased favorability of milder policies. The participants’ level of prejudice against women explained, on the other hand, acceptance of these latter policies.

Des recherches récentes montrent que les croyances méritocratiques prédisent l’opposition aux mesures de discrimination positive les plus agressives (faisant prévaloir les caractéristiques sociologiques des bénéficiaires), tandis que le niveau de préjugé prédit l’opposition aux mesures les moins agressives (contenant des références aux qualifications des bénéficiaires). La présente étude, menée en France auprès de responsables des ressources humaines en entreprise, manipule l’adhésion aux croyances méritocratiques et montre qu’une moindre adhésion à ces croyances entraîne une meilleure appréciation des mesures les plus agressives, mais une moindre appréciation des mesures les moins agressives. Le niveau de préjugé intervient pour rendre compte de l’acceptation de ces dernières.