PERCEIVED INGROUP AND OUTGROUP PREFERENCE: A LONGITUDINAL CAUSAL INVESTIGATION

Abstract

Although there has been substantial research on perceptions of preference in hiring, there is considerably less focus on perceptions of preference in organizational activities more generally. Researchers seldom assess perceptions of preference for both historically high‐ and low‐status groups and for both one's own group and others. Using a three‐wave longitudinal survey of 1,094 employees, the causal direction between perceived preference and satisfaction with management, moderators of that relationship, and whether responses to perceived preference differed by group were examined. On average, groups perceived more outgroup than ingroup preference. The satisfaction to perceived preference causal direction was significantly stronger than the reverse for outgroup preference, suggesting that increased satisfaction with management leads to decreased future perceptions of outgroup preference more so than vice versa. The relationship between satisfaction with management and perceived outgroup preference was moderated by perceived organizational tolerance of discrimination, suggesting that positive diversity climate can alleviate the negative effects of dissatisfaction with management on perceived outgroup preference.