Awareness programs and change in taste-based caste prejudice.

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Economics
• Sociology
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Becker's theory of taste-based discrimination posits that reduced employer prejudice improves employment for discriminated groups.
• Caste-based discrimination in India remains a significant societal issue.
• Understanding the impact of prejudice reduction on employment and policy views is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally test Becker's prediction on taste-based discrimination in the Indian caste context.
• To assess the impact of a TV social program on reducing implicit caste prejudice.
• To examine how prejudice reduction influences opinions on job reservations for lower castes.

Main Methods:

• Experimental design using management students as subjects (potential future employers).
• Measurement of caste prejudice levels before and after exposure to a social awareness program.
• Analysis of prejudice reduction, particularly among the "marginally discriminating" group.

Main Results:

• A TV social program significantly reduced implicit caste prejudice, with sustained effects over time.
• The intervention most effectively reduced prejudice among individuals in the left tail of the prejudice distribution.
• Treatment group participants showed a greater propensity to favor job reservation policies for lower castes.

Conclusions:

• Experimental evidence supports Becker's theory, demonstrating that reduced prejudice can positively influence attitudes towards affirmative action.
• Awareness interventions can be effective in mitigating caste-based discrimination.
• Targeting interventions towards highly prejudiced individuals is key to achieving real-world impact.