Conformity to group norms: How group-affirmation shapes collective action

Abstract

Why do people collectively support action for (or against) marginalized groups in society? Three studies (N = 1161) conducted in France and Romania tested the hypotheses that collective action is partly driven by conformity, as people follow what they perceive as normative in the social context. Further, we hypothesized that a contemporaneous affirmation of group identity would amplify such conformity. Consistent with expectations, participants randomly assigned to affirm a value central to their groups tended to conform to salient group norms in their support for collective action, regardless of whether salient norms were discriminatory or non-discriminatory. Participants assigned to self-affirmation condition (Study 1) or to a control condition (Studies 1–3) were less influenced by group norms. The results suggest that group-affirmation increases conformity and, as such, may foster pro-minority collective action when the normative context is non-discriminatory. However, group-affirmation could also foster anti-minority collective action when the normative context is discriminatory. Results are discussed in the context of how to understand motivations for and against collective action on behalf of marginalized groups in society.