Under Threat: Dominant Group Members' Experiences of Identity Threat

Abstract

This symposium highlights how identity threat is experienced by members of dominant groups and how this impacts the ability of minorities to gain access and advancement within organizations. The papers in this symposium examine how members of dominant groups experience identity threat in reaction to minorities and the impact of this threat on workplace outcomes, beliefs, and identity. This symposium seeks to fulfill three goals: (1) illuminate novel strategies that minorities may use in response to the identity threat of dominant members, (2) showcase strategies that allow minorities to maintain the integrity of their identity while reducing threat in dominant members, (3) provide opportunity for conversations about how dominant members can resolve their own identity threat in order to support minorities within organizations. Keywords: identity threat, power, inclusion Defense of Prototypicality Explains Dominant Group Resistance to Diversity Presenter: Felix Danbold; NYU Stern Presenter: Yuen Huo; U. of California Does the Deferential Black Man Get Ahead? Deference as a Strategy Against Identity Threat Presenter: Camellia Bryan; Schulich School of Business Presenter: Chris Bell; York U. Overcoming Identity Differences in Negotiations: The Power of Rich Cultural Identity Expression Presenter: Rachel Arnett; The Wharton School, U. of Pennsylvania Presenter: Karren Kimberly Knowlton; The Wharton School, U. of Pennsylvania Presenter: McKenzie Preston; The Wharton School, U. of Pennsylvania Presenter: Rebecca Schaumberg; The Wharton School, U. of Pennsylvania Dominant Identity Focusing: Reducing Identity Threat Through Constructing Positive Identities Presenter: Lumumba Seegars; Harvard Business School Presenter: Lakshmi Ramarajan; Harvard U. The Role of Moral Licensing in How Neglecting Employee Diversity Can Threaten the Triple Bottom Line Presenter: Jessica Mariah Rivin; U. of Colorado, Boulder Presenter: Sabrina DeeAnn Volpone; U. of Colorado, Boulder Presenter: Christina Noelle Lacerenza; U. of Colorado, Boulder