Perceptions of Indigenous Peoples in Canada: Modern Racism, Benefit Finding, and Moral Obligations for Descendants of Residential School Survivors

Victimization of Canada's Indigenous peoples is increasingly salient, due to more consideration of the legacy of Indian Residential Schools (IRS). Four studies investigated how this might impact Canadians' moral expectations of Indigenous peoples. Unlike previous research, participants were members of the historical perpetrator group, and the effects of the historical victimization are ongoing. After the presentation of information about the IRSs, participants completed a meaning-making task, followed by a survey assessing victim moral obligations, modern racism and benefit finding. Manipulations occurred in the group for whom meaning was to be made, the discursive framing of Indigenous peoples, or the victim group considered. These manipulations were meant to test the effects of focusing on the implications of the IRS for perpetrator or victim groups, and of the varied media discourses about Indigenous peoples. Across all studies, modern racism predicted greater moral obligations for victims, and benefit finding mediated this relationship.