Collective identity functions with status quo

Abstract

In this paper, we define the problem of group identification in an extended environment. We concentrate on the problem where the society is required to self-determine the belongingness of each member to a specific group, characterized by a single attribute. In general terms, this case consists of a collective identity issue that can be regarded as an aggregation problem of individual assessments within a group. Here we introduce the possibility that opinions are incomplete and that a status quo option intervenes in the process.