Victim-Blaming and System-Blaming: Political Orientation Predicts Responses to Successful and Unsuccessful Social Mobility Attempts

Evidence of unsuccessful social mobility attempts may threaten faith in the American Dream. In scenarios manipulating success/failure outcomes but holding constant hard work and ability, people, especially conservatives, victim-blame failed mobility attempts. Liberals blame the system and advantaged groups; conservatives blame disadvantaged (e.g., affirmative action) outgroups, with policy support implications.