Common Ingroup Identity Research Articles

The impact of Perspective-Taking on weight stigma among Chinese University students: The mediating role of Common ingroup identity

Background/Objective Weight stigma has significant psychological and social implications, yet studies on perspective-taking as an intervention strategy remain scarce. This study aimed to investigate the effect of perspective-taking on weight stigma among Chinese university students and examine the potential mediating role of common ingroup identity. Methods A randomized controlled experiment with 202 Chinese university students (experimental group, perspective-taking group: n = 102; control group: n = 100) was conducted. Weight stigma was measured pre- and post-intervention using the Anti-Fat Attitudes Test. The study employed a 2 × 2 mixed design with ANCOVA and mediation analysis. Results The experimental group showed significantly lower post-test weight stigma when controlling for pre-test scores (F(1, 199) = 25.69, p < .001). Perspective-taking engagement was significantly higher in the experimental group (t = 3.13, p = .002). Common ingroup identity negatively correlated with post-test weight stigma (r = -.28, p < .001) but did not significantly mediate the perspective-taking and weight stigma reduction relationship. Conclusion Perspective-taking effectively reduces weight stigma among Chinese university students, contributing to stigma reduction strategies in university settings. Further research on underlying mechanisms is warranted.

The Influence of Group Categorization and Common Ingroup Identity on Malevolent Creativity, Benevolent Creativity, and Neutral Creativity

Group categorization creates intergroup bias. However, the influence of group categorization on malevolent creativity (MC), benevolent creativity (BC), and neutral creativity (NC) remains unclear. First two studies explored this influence. In Study 1 (N = 79), participants generated lower MC and higher BC toward in-group members than out-group members. In Study 2 (N = 102), lower MC and higher BC were generated when participants were primed by in-group identity than by out-group identity. Furthermore, group composition is not static but rather a dynamic process. Individuals may establish a common ingroup identity with out-group members while altering their groups, which can mitigate intergroup bias and promote harmonious intergroup relationships, potentially influencing individuals’ MC, BC, and NC. Therefore, last two studies explored this influence. Study 3 (N = 134) first validated the findings of Study 1. Then, by recategorizing existing groups to establish a common ingroup identity among different groups’ members, finding a common ingroup identity could reduce MC and enhance BC towards out-group members. Study 4 (N = 123) further extended this influence to the priming effect and found even when individuals were primed by different group identities, priming a common ingroup identity can reduce MC and enhance BC toward others. In all studies, NC remained consistently unaffected. In conclusion, group categorization and common ingroup identity can affect MC and BC, but not NC. The AMORAL model, intergroup bias, and common ingroup identity model were used to explain our findings, while limitations and future research directions were discussed in detail.

Personality Traits and Common Ingroup Identity: Support for Refugee Policies Among Host Members

Türkiye, which has hosted the largest number of refugees in recent years, requires remedial intervention programs to facilitate adaptation and coexistence. The irony of harmony studies that guide these interventions seem incomplete due to limited sample characteristics and a lack of attention to personality traits. Hence, we aimed to explore relationships between personality traits, identification with common ingroup identity, and support for social policies toward refugees by sampling the advantaged majority and the disadvantaged largest minority in Türkiye across two correlational studies (Ntotal = 772). In Study 1, agreeableness, extraversion, openness, narcissism, and psychopathy were associated with support for positive social policies. On the other hand, neuroticism was linked with support for negative social policies. However, when identification with common ingroup identity was included in the model, the significance of personality traits in almost all models disappeared, indicating that only the prediction of identification with common ingroup identity remained. The findings of Study 2 replicated and extended the previous result by sampling disadvantaged group members. We suggest that it may be more effective to focus on intergroup variables rather than personality traits to strengthen support for refugee policies, as the overall findings pointed out.

개인의 지역소속감이 사회 소수자 포용성에 미치는 영향 - 사회참여의 조절효과를 중심으로

This study aims to examine the relation between an individual’s local identity and the inclusion toward social minorities, exploring on the moderating effect of social participation. Applying Social Identity theory, this study provides empirical evidence on whether local identity expresses as a common in-group identity. Using data set from the ‘Social integration survey’ on 2023, this study shows the following results; (1) local identity(sense of belonging) and social inclusion toward social minorities shows a negative relation; (2) local participation out of bonding participation has positive moderating effect on social inclusiveness, while alumni association has non-significant effect; (3) bridging participation has positive moderating effect on social minority. These results suggest that it is necessary to consider the attributes of social participation as well as individual’s sense of belonging toward local community, in order to enhance social inclusion for social minority groups.

Dual superordinate identities in Sweden's vulnerable neighborhoods: Stronger local and national identities associated with increases in institutional and interpersonal trust

AbstractA superordinate identity that emphasizes the shared bond between people of different groups can have beneficial outcomes according to the theoretical argument of the common ingroup identity model. Unlike previous research that focuses on a single superordinate identity, we simultaneously study two superordinate identities: local identity (identification with the neighborhood) and national identity (identification with the country of residence). Our study is set in two ethnically heterogenous and low‐income neighborhoods in Sweden. Based on four waves of panel survey data, we find that both types of superordinate identities are associated with increases in interpersonal and institutional trust. The identities have distinct consequences, however. Local identity is related to local trust and national identity to national trust. These results are based on within‐individual variation. Since high trust generally has a range of positive consequences, our results point to an approach at improving communities that are often in much need of it. We observe low correlation between the two superordinate identities and high convergent and discriminant validity of the concepts. Our results may be relevant to similar neighborhoods that exist across Europe.

Can Democrats and Republicans like each other? Depends on how you define “American”

Democrats and Republicans increasingly demonstrate negative intergroup attitudes, posing a threat to bipartisan progress. Based on the Common Ingroup Identity Model, people from different political groups can simultaneously identify with a superordinate group, such as a national identity. This has the potential to ameliorate negative intergroup attitudes, though high levels of national identity are also associated with authoritarianism and intolerance. How can a common national identity improve relations between Democrats and Republicans? In this observational study (N = 1,272), Democrats and Republicans differed in how they defined what it means to be American, and higher American identity was related to more positive attitudes toward members of the other party. Most importantly, this relationship was moderated by participants' definition of what it means to be “American,” regardless of party or political orientation. Those who defined what it means to be American in more restrictive terms (i.e., U.S.-born, English-speaking, and Christian) reported less positive attitudes toward members of the other political party as their identification as an American became stronger. Taken together, our results suggest that strengthening national identity might be key to improving attitudes between Democrats and Republicans, as long as this identity is inclusive.

European identity's effect on immigration attitudes: Testing the predictions of the common Ingroup identity model versus ingroup projection model

AbstractA superordinate identity unites different subgroups into an overarching, common one. But does superordinate identification then improve or worsen attitudes towards the former outgroup? The common ingroup identity model (CIIM) asserts that recategorization ameliorates outgroup bias by reducing perceptions of intergroup threat. It predicts that superordinate identification will improve intergroup relations by promoting tolerance and acceptance of diversity. In contrast, the ingroup project model (IPM) asserts that identifying superordinately will actually exacerbate outgroup bias because ingroup members naturally project their own characteristics onto the superordinate category and will more strongly dislike the former outgroup for not fitting the “correct” superordinate prototype. Existing evidence—largely drawn from psychology lab experiments, not real‐world situations—suggests both models can be correct insofar as ingroup projection only occurs under certain conditions. In that case, which model is correct for European identity? Results from original survey data collected in three European countries (Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom) show that increased identification with Europe is almost always associated with more favorable attitudes towards outgroup immigrants, even among those most likely to engage in ingroup projection. Future research should continue to investigate when and why this inclusivity does—and does not—hold.

The impact of marketing appeals on consumer willingness to participate in virtual CSR co-creation

PurposeThis study explores how businesses can effectively market functional and emotional benefits through virtual corporate social responsibility co-creation (VCSRC) initiatives. The aim is to enhance customer engagement through these initiatives.Design/methodology/approachThe initial phase of this study involved recruiting 185 Chinese university students as participants. These individuals were randomly distributed into four distinct experimental groups, each designed to investigate the influence of varied marketing appeals and common in-group identity (CIGI) on consumer engagement willingness. This phase also sought to elucidate the mediating role of CSR associations in these dynamics. Following this, the second study engaged 570 individuals, recruited through “Credamo,” for a group-based experiment. This subsequent phase was intended to validate the findings of the preliminary study and explore the varying intensities of interaction between different marketing appeals and CIGI, with a particular focus on the dichotomy of independent and interdependent self-construals.FindingsThe study delineates a detailed relationship between consumers' willingness to participate in VCSRC, marketing appeals, and common in-group identity, revealing that strong common in-group identity correlates with a preference for functional appeals, while a weaker in-group identity inclines towards emotional appeals. Notably, interdependent self-construal significantly influences consumer responses, intensifying the interaction between in-group identity and marketing appeal and thereby influencing participation willingness. Moreover, CSR associations emerge as key mediators in this interaction, underscoring their role in enhancing the effectiveness of VCSRC strategies. These insights provide a new understanding of the crucial impact of consumer identity traits on marketing strategy efficacy.Originality/valueThis research stands as a trailblazing endeavor in evaluating the effects of varied advertising appeals under the VCSR paradigm. It probes into the foundational mechanisms, leveraging insights from interaction alignment theory and persuasion theory to elucidate the processes involved.

Integration of Social Identities in Interreligious-Group Relations

In the context of interreligious group relations, grassroots society tends to demonstrate adaptation strategies to promote harmonious social living. Based on the social identity perspective, such conditions encompass the dynamic process in which diverse religious group identities are endorsed within a coherent superordinate identity. This study explores the dynamics of integration as a strategy to maintain religious harmony. A qualitative case study was conducted in a rural community with diverse religious groups in Central Java. Data were gathered through participative observations, semi-structured interviews, casual conversations, and document analysis. We employed an abductive strategy to analyze the rich empirical materials gathered. The findings reveal the integrative construction of a common ingroup identity, that embraces the essence of unity in diversity. As a strong common ingroup identity indicates, it requires the development of a transcendent identity at the subgroup level. This process encourages a positive orientation towards others to preserve equality among groups. Of utmost importance, this integration most likely plays a pivotal role in addressing both social harmony and social tension. This study highlights that the strategy of integration is explained through the formation of an inclusive common ingroup identity, that illustrates the node of bonding and bridging for existing religious groups to live together.

Awe weakens the blatant dehumanization of people with obesity via common ingroup identity

Awe weakens the blatant dehumanization of people with obesity via common ingroup identity

Intergroup contact in Japan: An exploration of direct, E-contact, and mass-mediated modalities among Japanese and international students

This study explored relationship between intergroup contact and willingness to interact with each other among Japanese and international students in Japan, focusing on three contact modalities: direct, E-contact, and mass-mediated contact, from perspectives of both groups. The research identified unique relationships between contact types and intergroup anxiety and common ingroup identity as mediating variables. Key findings include (1) divergent paths between all three contact modalities with intergroup anxiety and common ingroup identity, (2) a more pronounced link between positive contact and interaction willingness among Japanese students, and (3) the dominance of positive over negative contact in predicting interaction willingness. Exceptions to the latter two findings were also explored. The study’s nuanced insights offer valuable contributions to the field, guiding effective strategies in improving intergroup attitudes among domestic and international students.

‘We like because we feel liked’ exposure to cultural fusion improves outgroup attitudes through contact metacognition

AbstractBased on the common ingroup identity model and the principle of group reciprocity, this study proposes that exposure to cultural fusion can improve outgroup attitudes by activating positive contact metacognition, that is, the subjective perception of the outgroup's desire for contact with the ingroup. To test this hypothesis, we conducted three experiments with Chinese Yi students. They were randomly primed with Dai‐Yi cultural fusion pictures, Dai cultural pictures, Yi cultural pictures or geometry pictures (Dai and Yi are two Chinese ethnic minorities). They were asked to report their contact metacognition, cultural identity (Experiments 2 and 3), explicit (willingness to help; Experiments 1 and 2) and implicit attitudes towards Dai (SC‐IAT; Experiment 3). The results found that exposure to Dai‐Yi cultural fusion improved contact metacognition among Yi participants, subsequently leading to more positive explicit and implicit attitudes towards Dai. Unexpectedly, cultural identity did not moderate the mediated effect of contact metacognition. These findings suggest that exposure to cultural fusion is an effective and stable strategy for fostering harmonious intergroup relationships and specifically highlight the importance of contact metacognition. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Exploring Transcultural Communication via Perceived Social Distance and Intergroup Acceptance toward K-Pop and Asian Culture

Well-known K-pop (Korean popular music) bands have gained the status of pop music icons, owing to their widespread popularity around the world. This study explored the interrelations between a set of relevant social and psychological factors to explain how K-pop has also contributed to a one-of-a-kind transcultural communication phenomenon on the Internet via social media. An online survey was conducted with a sample of non-Asian American college students, as K-pop is highly popular among this group of music fans. A path analysis was performed to test a conceptual framework that integrated social distance theory, common ingroup identity model, and dialectical mode. The conceptual framework theorizes that perceived social distance and intergroup acceptance between individuals of non-Asian and Asian descent, as well as perceived musical similarity between Western and K-pop cultures, will underscore the intention for transcultural social media communication about K-pop. The current study contributes to advancing the literature by addressing the social-psychological domain of transcultural communication in the context of popular entertainment across social, cultural, lingusitic, and national boundaries.

"We're tolerant and they're prejudiced": Same-sex marriage supporters' and opponents' perceptions of supportive and oppositional claims.

The current research examined the proposition that debates over same-sex marriage are characterized, at least in part, by conflicting understandings about what is and is not prejudiced, normative and true. Toward this end, Australians' (N = 415) prejudice judgements of supportive and oppositional statements toward same-sex marriage were measured and analysed with analyses of variance. Unsurprisingly, same-sex marriage supporters perceived a supportive statement as unprejudiced, tolerant, truthful, in pursuit of individual liberty, and normative; oppositional statements were seen in precisely the opposite manner. Same-sex marriage opponents, however, disagreed, instead judging an oppositional statement as unprejudiced, tolerant, truthful, in pursuit of individual liberty, and normative; it was a supportive statement that was seen as relatively prejudiced. These effects remained even after controlling for independent expressions of in-group favouritism. The current data align with a collective naïve realism perspective, in which group members see their own views as veridical and those of disagreeing others as biased. We argue that prejudice-reduction efforts must be instantiated to facilitate a common in-group identity between supporters and opponents to enable consensus over facts and, ultimately, what is and is not prejudice. Without this consensus, each side of the political debate may simply hurl the pejorative label of "prejudice" against the other, with likely little opportunity for social influence and social change.

Perceptions of White Women’s Stigma-Based Solidarity Claims and Disingenuous Allyship

Efforts to promote allyship often focus on creating a common ingroup identity between marginalized and privileged groups, including making salient stigma-based solidarity. In addition, research on allyship perceptions highlights that allies are viewed as more genuine when they are not perceived as motivated by self-interests. Integrating research on allyship perceptions and stigma-based solidarity, the present research examined Black Americans’ perceptions of White women’s allyship messages that focus on stigma-based solidarity. In three experiments (Ntotal = 851), White women claiming stigma-based solidarity highlighting shared perpetrators (Studies 1–3) or shared discrimination (Study 3) were perceived as less genuine allies (i.e., less trustworthy and self-sacrificing) who were motivated to reduce racism for their own self-interests compared to allyship claims that only highlighted racism (Studies 1–3) or no allyship claims (Study 2). These findings add to a growing literature documenting marginalized groups’ suspicion of privileged groups’ motives when claiming allyship.

Breaking the mold: examining the effectiveness of techniques to reduce motivated reasoning

ABSTRACT Extensive research in the social sciences has shown that people tend to engage in motivated reasoning when processing information. However, one area of inquiry that has been lacking is examining the effectiveness of different strategies that aim to decrease motivated reasoning. In this paper, we examine three strategies that have been shown to decrease motivated reasoning: accuracy motivation, the common ingroup identity model, and self-affirmation. We begin by replicating previous findings examining the effectiveness of each of these strategies in reducing motivated reasoning. We then extend this line of inquiry by comparing the effects of these three strategies against one another to determine if one of them is more effective at reducing motivated reasoning. To test our hypotheses, we used an experimental design and recruited participants from Prolific.

Does the procedural act of electing leaders enhance cooperation in divided societies? Experimental evidence from Lebanon

Studies suggest that the procedural act of participating in an election in homogenous communities enhances social cooperation and compliance with policies proposed by the elected leader by making the leader more legitimate. In this study, we implement a lab-in-the-field experiment among Shia and Sunni Muslims in Lebanon to test whether participating in the procedural act of electing a leader increases cross-group cooperation also in ethnically heterogeneous communities. We find that participation in leader election fails to increase inter-group cooperation in a heterogeneous setting. In contrast, an appeal to a common ingroup identity successfully increases cooperation. When appeal to a supraordinate identity is combined with leader elections, cooperation increases only when out-group leaders are elected and among voters who value democratic procedure. Our findings suggest that in ethnically divided societies elections can lead to cooperation only if the dominant social norms are consistent with democracy and supraordinate group identity is salient.

The role of common ingroup identity in promoting social change among tribes in Nigeria

The present research aims to probe the associations of one-group perceptions with collective action intentions among majority group members, by relying on a non-WEIRD sample, that is, from a tribal context in Nigeria. Considering their role in contact and collective action literatures, moral convictions, outgroup attitudes, and feelings were tested as parallel mediators. Participants were Yoruba adults ( N = 200; one of the most prominent tribes in Nigeria). Deviating from a binary logic, we considered two outgroups varying in social status. Specifically, outgroups were represented by other two Nigerian tribes, including both a minority (Edos) and a majority group (Igbos). Results showed that identification with the common Nigerian identity was positively associated with collective action intentions toward both groups via greater moral convictions. Outgroup feelings worked as mediator only toward the minority group (Edo tribe). We discuss results in terms of the importance that a relevant one-group identity can have in determining morality attributions and ultimately engagement in collective action to promote a more equal society.

Testing the effects of group-affirmation in active conflict: Ukrainians' trust toward Russia.

How can states with a history of recent armed conflict trust one another? Political psychology offers two competing approaches to increase trust between the publics of different countries: appealing to an overarching, common identity above the national level vs. affirming a sense of national identity. This study aims to examine the scope conditions of group-affirmation effects on trust in active conflicts by testing which group-affirmation approach increases trust towards Russia among the Ukrainian public. Distrust between Ukraine and Russia aggravates security fears and limits hope for a meaningful resolution of the bloodiest armed conflict in Europe since 1994. Hostility levels have risen dramatically between the populations of Ukraine and Russia after the events of 2013-2015. The study employs a survey experiment (between-subjects design) to evaluate these competing approaches. The survey was fielded in late May-June 2020 by a reputable public opinion research firm, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), based in Ukraine. The results suggest that in areas where conflict is salient, national identity affirmation can increase trust in subsamples that hold preexisting baseline levels of affinity toward the outgroup. When combined with the more anti-Russian Ukrainians however, this positive effect was cancelled out. In contrast, emphasis on an overarching, common ingroup identity did not raise trust in any subgroups. Examining the disparate effects of national identity affirmation in anti-Russian and pro-Russian regional subsamples helps specify the scope conditions of which group-affirmation can be most effective.

Diversifying power in action: A socio-psychological approach to inclusive energy transition experiments

Today only an exclusive group of citizens is represented in most energy transition projects. Adoption patterns are substantially shaped by gender, ethnic identity, education level, income and wealth. This stands in contradiction to the principle of fostering inclusive engagement as a key goal of energy transition policy. Despite notable exceptions, research is lacking on developing strategies for supporting demographically inclusive energy transitions. This action research study contributes to this gap by developing a theory-based and empirically tested approach for supporting inclusive engagement in energy transitions. For this purpose, we follow-up on a promising line of research in psychology and societal transformation, to inform a transition experiment aiming at fostering inclusivity based on the social-psychological concept of identity. In particular, we build on the common ingroup identity model (CIIM). The CIIM describes an approach to uniting people with different identities under a common umbrella identity, with the goal of uniting previously separated and in some cases divided groups. As such, we propose that the CIIM holds potential for connecting actors with different backgrounds in jointly shaping energy transitions. To investigate this here we describe the design, implementation and evaluation of an energy transition experiment structured around the CIIM. The findings of a mixed methods-evaluation study suggest that there is indeed potential in this approach, for fostering inclusivity. We comment on the implications for energy policy and on some of the challenges of action research in energy transitions contexts.