Claims of reverse gender discrimination by young men in South Korea: The role of competitive and common victimhood

Abstract

Within the past few years, claims of reverse discrimination have been on the rise. However, most studies exploring perceived discrimination among the majority have focused on racial and ethnic conflicts. This study addresses the consequences of perceived discrimination among young South Korean men and explores potential methods to reduce anti-female attitudes based on theories of competitive and common victimhood. Across three studies, we reveal that young Korean men believe they suffer more than women and that their competitive victimhood is associated with anti-female attitudes. In addition, men who read a common victimhood narrative express lower anti-female attitudes compared to those who read a female victimhood narrative or a control narrative. Individual differences, such as anti-feminist attitudes, generally did not moderate the effects of reading a common victimhood narrative. The results of these studies broaden the understanding of intergroup conflict by applying theories of victimhood to the underexplored context of gender conflict and suggest that a common victimhood narrative may be a viable method for reducing anti-female attitudes.