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Published Jun 20, 2022

#217: The Psychology of Victim Mentality & Cancel Culture with Cory Clark

Dr. Cory Clark and Mark Groves examine the psychological underpinnings of victim mentality and cancel culture, discussing how biases, virtue signaling, and social media dynamics influence public perception, morality, and social interactions, while highlighting the challenges and implications for genuine victims.
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  • Psychological Traits

    Dr. Cory Clark explains that individuals who frequently claim victimhood often exhibit a lack of empathy, view themselves as superior, and manipulate others. This tendency to see oneself as a victim is a stable personality trait associated with negative social interactions. adds that from an evolutionary perspective, this behavior might have initially served to draw support from others during times of mental or emotional distress 1.

    When people portray themselves as victims, they are liked more, people just like them more. They think they're better people.

    --- Dr. Cory Clark

    This victim signaling can lead to receiving sympathy, resources, and even moral impunity, making it a beneficial strategy in certain environments 2.

       

    Evolutionary Perspective

    Mark explores the evolutionary advantages of victim signaling, referencing Cory's article on the topic. In safe environments with surplus resources, portraying oneself as a victim can be more beneficial than in dangerous settings. This trend has increased in recent years, with people competing for victimhood status to gain social and moral benefits 2.

    There does seem to be a sort of trend in the past ten or so years where people are clamoring for this victimhood status more than they used to.

    --- Dr. Cory Clark

    Mark notes that this behavior is protected by a societal reluctance to criticize or call out such actions 3.

       

    Social Implications

    The societal impact of victim signaling is significant, as people who claim victimhood often receive sympathy and resources. Cory shares a personal anecdote about being deceived by an Uber driver, highlighting the challenge of discerning genuine need from manipulation. This deception can lead to skepticism, making it harder for genuine victims to receive help 4.

    The more people take advantage of those kinds of things, the more other people are going to start to question legitimate stories.

    --- Dr. Cory Clark

    Additionally, studies show that people are more likely to donate to those who share past traumas, even if unrelated to their current needs, which can be exploited on platforms like GoFundMe 5.

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