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Negativities facing affirmative action Affirmative action programs have been set up in the hopes of leveling the playing field for minority members. Women and ethnic minorities are still underrepresented in both the workforce and in universities. Supporters of affirmative action often argue that affirmative action is necessary to redress past and present social inequalities caused by prejudice and discrimination against certain groups. “Opponents of affirmative action in higher education frequently argue that giving any group preferential treatment on the basis of their social or biological status is inherently unfair and violates the principles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964” (Brown, Charnsangavej, Deough, Newman, and Rentfrow, 2000). While its intended goals are to help increase the numbers of traditionally underrepresented people in the workforce and in universities and to eradicate prejudice and discrimination, several unintended, negative consequences have emerged. There is an abundance of research that supports the idea that affirmative action programs have negative psychological effects on the recipients, the attitudes of the majority, and the implementers and organizations that use them. Affirmative actio