Life is unfair, so why don’t we do more about it?
Mon Sep 26 2016 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Life is unfair, so why don’t we do more about it?
26 September 2016
In many industrialised nations the rich have grown richer while the middle and working classes have seen their economic situation stagnate or decline. Why do we tolerate this stark inequality?
In the 2016 Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series at the University of Auckland, Professor John T Jost from New York University discusses how System Justification Theory helps explain why we tolerate and even justify unfairness.
Drawing on more than 20 years’ cutting-edge research in social, personality and political psychology, Professor Jost will also discuss why some political and religious ideologies are more likely to tolerate and justify inequality, and deny or minimise problems associated with it.
“One of the biggest puzzles in social psychology at the moment is understanding why people often support the status quo even where it conflicts with their own self-interest,” says Dr Osborne from the University of Auckland’s School of Psychology.
“We are delighted that Professor Jost, who is an international leader in research that attempts to understand this paradox, is coming to New Zealand for these lectures.”
In the second lecture for the series, Associate Professor Marc Wilson of the School of Psychology, Victoria University, Wellington, and Professor Jost look at how belief systems influence and shape political outcomes.
They will highlight the psychology of political and religious ideologies and how belief systems meet people’s needs by reducing uncertainty, managing fears associated with death and allowing us to align ourselves with others.
In the final lecture, Dr Danny Osborne of the University of Auckland’s School of Psychology and Professor Jost discuss some of the factors that undermine support for collective action that could bring about real social change.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series is free and open to the public. Lectures will be held at the Owen G Glenn Building (Business School), 12 Grafton Rd, Auckland.
- Lecture 1 – Monday 3 October, 5-6pm, Room 260-073
- Lecture 2 – Tuesday 4 October, 6-7pm, Room 260-115
- Lecture 3 – Wednesday 5 October, 6-7pm, Room 260-115
For more information contact
Anne Beston
Media Relations Adviser,
Communications,
University of Auckland
Tel: +64 9 923 3258
Mobile: + 64 (0) 21 970 089
Email: a.beston@auckland.ac.nz