• Inclusion

• Feedback Cycles

• Dealing with diversity

On Meritocratic Perceptions and Preferences Study 1 On Meritocratic Perceptions and Preferences Study 2 When is an Inequality Fair? A Multilevel Integrative Approach to Predicting Inequality Legitimization across Different Hierarchies

Does believing that rewards should be based on merit lead people to challenge or justify inequality? We argue that the answer depends on which form of meritocratic belief is endorsed and which type of inequality is evaluated. Across three studies, we distinguish between descriptive meritocracy (believing society does reward merit) and prescriptive meritocracy (believing it should), and examine how each relates to acceptance of education-based versus ethnic-based inequalities. Study 1 (N = 258, European sample) showed that descriptive meritocracy was associated with greater acceptance of both inequality types, whereas a prescriptive meritocracy showed no significant associations. In study 2 (N = 300, UK) an exploratory factor analysis of 28 items measuring meritocracy-relevant components identified three factors: equal opportunity, desert, and egalitarian values. Study 3 (N = 498, UK) utilized the factors that emerged in study 2 to re-test the hypotheses of study 1. The results again showed that descriptive meritocracy was associated with perceived fairness of both inequality types. Endorsement of equal opportunity was negatively associated with perceived fairness of education and ethnic-based inequalities, whereas endorsement of the desert principle selectively legitimized education-based but not ethnic-based inequalities. These findings show that meritocracy is not a single belief but a set of distinct commitments. Descriptive meritocracy consistently legitimizes inequality, whereas prescriptive meritocracy contains dimensions with distinct effects. This helps explain why meritocracy is often invoked to challenge unfair practices and to undermine structural inequalities.

Does believing that rewards should be based on merit lead people to challenge or justify inequality?

• Collected during project
• -

• Vignette survey

Yes

• Structured

20/07/2025

21/07/2025

No conflict of interest