SOCIAL IDENTITY COMPLEXITY AND INCLUSIVENESS AS MEDIATORS OF THE IMPACT OF A SOCIAL NORM ON ATTITUDES TOWARS OUTGROUPS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19090/pp.2020.2.263-281Keywords:
attitudes towards outgroups, intergroup relationships, social identity, social normsAbstract
In this study, we investigated the predictive power of social identity complexity and inclusiveness on attitudes towards outgroups, the impact of a social norm on social identity complexity and inclusiveness, and their mediating role in the relationship between social norm and attitudes towards outgroups. Social identity complexity refers to individual's subjective representation of interrelationships between his/ her multiple social identities. Social identity inclusiveness refers to individual's identification with other people based on mutual group membership. We opted for national, ethnic and religious ingroups and outgrops. A total of 153 respondents (36% male), average age of 26, filled in the questionnaire. Results show that inclusiveness, unlike complexity, strongly predicts outgroup acceptance, measured with feelings thermometer and social distance scale. In the experimental phase of the study, we tried to induce changes in outgroup acceptance by presenting descriptive social norm to selected participants (N = 40) with lower initial acceptance. We also investigated mediating role of the perception of one's own ingroup boundaries (complexity and inclusiveness) in this process. Exposure to social norm, presented in the form of fictive scientific report, improved outgroup acceptance, but unexpectedly decreased social identity complexity. This might be due to the fact that the way in which social norm was designed has threatened distinctiveness of our respondents' identity, which consequently led to less complex perception of their own ingroup boundaries. For further research, we suggested introducing more specific interventions that would directly influence social identity complexity and should be compared among different groups.
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References
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Turjačanin, V., Dušanić, S. i Lakić, S. (2017). Složeni socijalni identiteti u Bosni i Hercegovini. Filozofski fakultet u Banjoj Luci.
Turner, J. C., Hogg, M. A., Oakes, P. J. Reicher, S. D., & Wetherell, M. S. (1987). Rediscovering the social group: A Self–Categorization Theory. Blackwell.
Van Dommelen, A., Schmid, K., Hewstone, M., Gonsalkorale, K., & Brewer, M. B. (2015). Construing multiple ingroups: Assesing social identity inclusiveness and structure in ethnic and religious minority group members. European Journal of Social Psychology, 45(3), 386–399. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2095
Verkuyten, M., & Martinovic, B. (2012). Social identity complexity and immigrants' attitude toward the host nation: The intersection of ethnic and religious group identification. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38(9), 1165–1177. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167212446164
Wilcox, C., Sigelman, L., & Cook, E. (1989). Some like it hot: Individual differences in responses to group feeling thermometers. Public Opinion Quarterly, 53(2), 246–257. https://doi.org/10.1086/269505
Branković, M., Pavlović, M., Žeželj, I., Vladisavljević, M., Jovanović O., & Petrović, N. (2015). Social identity complexity and inclusiveness as predictors of intergroup emotions. Primenjena psihologija, 8(4), 363–379. https://doi.org/10.19090/pp.2015.4.363–378
Brewer, M. B. (1991). The social self: On being the same and different at the same time. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 17(5), 475–482. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167291175001
Brewer, M. B. (1999). The psychology of prejudice: Ingroup love or outgroup hate? Journal of Social Issues, 55(3), 429–444. https://doi.org/10.1111/0022–4537.00126
Brewer, M. B. (2010). Social identity complexity and acceptance of diversity. In R. J. Crisp (Ed.), The Psychology of Social and Cultural Diversity. Blackwell Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444325447.ch2
Brewer, M. B., Gonsalkorale, K., & van Dommelen, A. (2013). Social identity complexity: Comparing majority and minority ethnic group members in multicultural society. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 16(5), 529–544. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430212468622
Brewer, M. B., & Pierce, K. P. (2005). Social identity complexity and outgroup tolerance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31(3), 428–437. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167204271710
Cialdini, R. B. (2007). Descriptive social norms as underappreciated sources of social control. Psychometrika, 72(2), 263–268. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11336–006–1560–6
Cialdini, R. B., Demaine, L. J., Sagarin, B. J., Barrett, D. W., Rhoads, K., & Winter, P. L. (2006). Managing social norms for persuasive impact. Social Influence, 1(1), 3–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/15534510500181459
Cialdini, R. B., Reno, R. R., & Kallgren, C. A. (1990). A focus theory of normative conduct: Recycling the concept of norms to reduce littering in public places. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(6), 1015–1026. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022–3514.58.6.1015
Đurić, V., Tanasković, D., Vukmirović, D. i Lađević, P. (2014). Etnokonfesionalni i jezički mozaik Srbije. Republički zavod za statistiku.
Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7 (2), 117–140.
Haslam, S. A., Oakes, P. J., McGarty, C., Turner, J. C., Reynolds, K. J., & Eggins, R. A. (1996). Stereotyping and social influence: The mediation of stereotype applicability and sharedness by the views of in–group and out–group members. British Journal of Social Psychology, 35(3), 369–397. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044–8309.1996.tb01103.x
Hayes, A. F. (2009). Beyond Baron and Kenny: Statistical mediation analysis in the new millennium. Communication Monographs, 76(4), 408–420. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637750903310360
Hogg, M. A., & Reid, S. A. (2006). Social identity, self–categorization, and communication of group norms. Communication Theory, 16(1), 7–30. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468–2885.2006.00003.x
Levy, A., Saguy, T., van Zomeren, M., & Halperin, E. (2017). Ingroups, outgroups, and the gateway groups between: The potential of dual identities to improve intergroup relations. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 70, 260–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2016.09.011
Levy, A., Žeželj, I., Branković, M., Dušanić, S., Van Zomeren, M., Saguy, T., & Halperin, E. (2019). Complex Social Identities and Intergroup Relations: Gateway Groups in the Western Balkans. Social Psychology, 50(3), 201–206. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864–9335/a000379
McConahay, J. B., Hardee, B. B., & Batts, V. (1981). Has racism declined? It depends upon who's asking and what is asked. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 25(4), 563–579. https://doi.org/10.1177/002200278102500401
Miller, K. P., Brewer, M. B., & Arbuckle, N. L. (2009). Social identity complexity: Its correlates and antecedents. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations 12(1), 79–94. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430208098778
Pratto, F., Žeželj, I., Maloku, E., Turjačanin, V., & Branković, M. (Eds.) (2017). Shaping Social Identities After Violent Conflict: Youth in the Western Balkans. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978–3–319–62021–3
Reicher, S., Spears, R., & Haslam, S. A. (2010). The social identity approach in social psychology. In M. S. Wetherell & C. T. Mohanty (Eds.), The sage hadbook of identities (pp. 45–62). Sage.
Roccas, S., & Brewer, M. B. (2002). Social identity complexity. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 6(2), 88–106. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr0602_01
Schmid, K., Hewstone, M., Tausch, N., Cairns, E., & Hughes, J. (2009). Antecedents and consequences of social identity complexity: Intergroup contact, distinctiveness threat, and outgroup attitudes. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35(8), 1085–1098. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167209337037
Schultz, P. W., Nolan, J. M., Cialdini, R. B., Goldstein, N. J., & Griskevicius, V. (2007). The constructive, deconstructive, and reconstructive power of social norms. Psychological Science, 18(5), 429–434. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467–9280.2007.01917.x
Sechrist, G. B., & Stangor, C. (2001). Perceived consensus influences intergroup behavior and stereotype accessibility. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(4), 645–654. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022–3514.80.4.645
Sherif, M. (1958). Group influences upon the formation of norms and attitudes. In E. E. Maccoby, T. M. Newcomb, & E. L. Hartley (Eds.), Readings in social psychology, 3rd Edition (pp. 219–232). Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Stangor, C., Sechrist, G. B., & Jost, J. T. (2001). Changing racial beliefs by providing consensus information. Personality and Social Psychological Bulletin, 27(4), 484–494. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167201274009
Tajfel, H. (1981). Human Groups and Social Categories. Cambridge University Press.
Tajfel, H. & Turner, J. C. (1986). The Social Identity Theory of inter–group behavior. In S. Worchel & W. G. Austin (Eds.), Psychology of Intergroup Relations (pp. 7–24). Hall Publishers.
Turjačanin, V., Dušanić, S. i Lakić, S. (2017). Složeni socijalni identiteti u Bosni i Hercegovini. Filozofski fakultet u Banjoj Luci.
Turner, J. C., Hogg, M. A., Oakes, P. J. Reicher, S. D., & Wetherell, M. S. (1987). Rediscovering the social group: A Self–Categorization Theory. Blackwell.
Van Dommelen, A., Schmid, K., Hewstone, M., Gonsalkorale, K., & Brewer, M. B. (2015). Construing multiple ingroups: Assesing social identity inclusiveness and structure in ethnic and religious minority group members. European Journal of Social Psychology, 45(3), 386–399. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2095
Verkuyten, M., & Martinovic, B. (2012). Social identity complexity and immigrants' attitude toward the host nation: The intersection of ethnic and religious group identification. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38(9), 1165–1177. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167212446164
Wilcox, C., Sigelman, L., & Cook, E. (1989). Some like it hot: Individual differences in responses to group feeling thermometers. Public Opinion Quarterly, 53(2), 246–257. https://doi.org/10.1086/269505
