The influence of target group status on the perception of the offensiveness of group-based slurs

•We report two studies, one with experimental methodology.•Slurs are seen as more offensive when directed at lower v. higher status groups.•The effect is mediated by the expected emotional reaction of the target.

Two studies investigate the effects of target group status on perceptions of the offensiveness of group-based slurs. Using real-world groups as targets, Study 1 showed that the perception that a group is of lower status in society is associated with the perceived offensiveness of insults targeting that group. Experimental methods in Study 2 showed that people perceive slurs against a low status group as especially offensive, a pattern that was mediated by the expectation that low-status targets would be emotionally reactive to the insult. The results suggest that cultural taboos emerge concerning insults against low-status groups that may be due in part to how those target groups are expected to respond emotionally to those insults.