Deviant Group Members Research Articles

Identity, Groups, and the Making of a Deviant: The Group’s Use of Deviants in Maintaining Its Collective Identity

Deviant group members normally represent a threat to the group’s collective identity. Paradoxically, however, because group processes themselves evoke dilution of the individual’s identity, deviants may simultaneously play an important role in the group’s identity consolidation. The group’s relatedness with deviants is based on complex group and intergroup dynamics that influence not only the group’s attitude toward the deviant but also what the deviant represents for the group. This article touches on what the deviant’s role may be in a group’s projective processes and how the group may use the deviant in an attempt to maintain its collective identity. At times, what may benefit the group may not be seen as such, whereas what may harm the group may be regarded as preferable. Some of the unconscious processes that may underpin such dynamics are also addressed along with the introduction of the concepts of advancing and depreciating deviants. The article also evaluates how the deviant’s role for the group may change depending on the context.

Tribalism and tribulations: The social costs of not sharing fake news.

Fake news can foster political polarization, foment division between groups, and encourage malicious behavior. Misinformation has cast doubt on the integrity of democratic elections, downplayed the seriousness of COVID-19, and increased vaccine hesitancy. Given the leading role that online groups play in the dissemination of fake news, in this research we examined how group-level factors contribute to sharing misinformation. By unobtrusively tracking interactions among 51,537 Twitter user dyads longitudinally over two time periods (n = 103,074), we found that group members who did not conform to the behavior of other group members by sharing fake news were subjected to reduced social interaction over time. We augmented this unique, ecologically valid behavioral data with another digital field study (N = 178,411) and five experiments to disentangle some of the causal mechanisms driving the observed effects. We found that social costs were higher for not sharing fake news versus other content, that specific types of deviant group members faced the greatest social costs, and that social costs explained fake news sharing above and beyond partisan identity and subjective accuracy assessments. Overall, our work illuminates the role of conformity pressure as a critical antecedent of the spread of misinformation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Adolescents' Evaluations of those who Challenge Exclusive and Inclusive Peer Norms.

Early and middle adolescents' judgments and reasonings about peers who challenge exclusive and inclusive peer group norms were examined across three studies with varying intergroup contexts. Study 1 participants included (N = 199) non-Arab American participants responding to an Arab American/non-Arab American intergroup context. Study 2 included (N = 123) non-Asian and (N = 105) Asian American participants responding to an Asian/non-Asian American intergroup context. Study 3 included (N = 275) Lebanese participants responding to an American/Lebanese intergroup context. Across all three studies participants responded to ingroup and outgroup deviant group members who challenged their peer groups to either include or exclude an outgroup peer with similar interests. Findings indicated that adolescents approved of peers who challenged exclusive peer norms and advocated for inclusion of an ethnic and cultural outgroup, and disapproved of peers who challenged inclusive group norms and advocated for exclusion. Non-Arab and non-Asian American adolescents displayed ingroup bias when evaluating a deviant advocating for exclusion. Additionally, age differences were found among Asian American adolescents. Findings will be discussed in light of intergroup research on those who challenge injustices.

공공재 딜레마에서 일탈적 집단구성원에 대한 반응

공공재 딜레마에서 일탈적 집단구성원에 대한 반응

The black sheep effect: The case of the deviant ingroup robot.

The black sheep effect (BSE) describes the evaluative upgrading of norm-compliant group members (ingroup bias), and evaluative downgrading of deviant (norm-violating) group members, relative to similar outgroup members. While the BSE has been demonstrated extensively in human groups, it has yet to be shown in groups containing robots. This study investigated whether a BSE towards a ‘deviant’ robot (one low on warmth and competence) could be demonstrated. Participants performed a visual tracking task in a team with two humanoid NAO robots, with one robot being an ingroup member and the other an outgroup member. The robots offered advice to the participants which could be accepted or rejected, proving a measure of trust. Both robots were also evaluated using questionnaires, proxemics, and forced preference choices. Experiment 1 (N = 18) manipulated robot grouping to test our group manipulation generated ingroup bias (a necessary precursor to the BSE) which was supported. Experiment 2 (N = 72) manipulated the grouping, warmth and competence of both robots, predicting a BSE towards deviant ingroup robots, which was supported. Results indicated that a disagreeable ingroup robot is viewed less favourably than a disagreeable outgroup robot. Furthermore, when interacting with two independent robots, a “majority rule” effect can occur in which each robot’s opinion is treated as independent vote, with participants significantly more likely to trust two unanimously disagreeing robots. No effect of warmth was found. The impact of these findings for human-robot team composition are discussed.

They did it again! Social control responses to repeated incidences of deviance in small groups / ¡Lo han vuelto a hacer! Respuestas de control social a la incidencia repetida de la desviación en grupos pequeños

Deviant group members who break group norms often challenge social validity and group locomotion, invoking varying types of social control responses. The current study (N = 95) investigated changes over time in the use of four social control responses of varying severity (persuasion, embarrassment, temporary exclusion and permanent exclusion) employed in response to deviance. It also tested the roles that perceived effectiveness of and social support for various responses play in response selection. Findings show severity of social control response selection is driven by both pragmatic and identity-based concerns: Over time, responses become more severe, driven in part by effectiveness and social support.

Motives to (not) forgive deviant group members: A comparison within and between cultures

This study examines people's motives to (not) forgive group members who violate an important group norm. More specifically, we attempt to determine what is the primary focus in such a situation (the group, the offender, the relationship, or the self), and whether this depends on how important the group is and on the cultural context (more individualist or more collectivist). Our sample includes Moluccans living in Indonesia (more collectivist) and Moluccans in the Netherlands (more individualist). Participants were asked to evaluate a scenario in which a group member (close or nonclose other) violated an important group norm. We find that Indonesian Moluccans are more likely not to forgive group members who violate a group norm than Dutch Moluccans. This finding suggests that the group is more important to Indonesian Moluccans. Across the two samples, however, participants were more inclined to forgive an ingroup deviant for the benefit of this person or their relationship than for the benefit of the group. Interestingly, self‐focused concerns were more important among Indonesian Moluccans and differences between the samples in the relative importance of the different motives could not be explained by people's self‐definition (i.e., more independent or interdependent). Implications of these findings for the literature on forgiveness and on individualism–collectivism are discussed.

The Deviant Group Member

The Deviant Group Member

Emotional reactions to deviance in groups: the relation between number of angry reactions, felt rejection, and conformity.

How many members of a group need to express their anger in order to influence a deviant group member’s behavior? In two studies, we examine whether an increase in number of angry group members affects the extent to which a deviant individual feels rejected, and we investigate downstream effects on conformity. We show that each additional angry reaction linearly increases the extent to which a deviant individual feels rejected, and that this relation is independent of the total number of majority members (Study 1). This felt rejection is then shown to lead to anti-conformity unless two conditions are met: (1) the deviant is motivated to seek reacceptance in the group, and (2) conformity is instrumental in gaining reacceptance because it is observable by the majority (Study 2). These findings show that angry reactions are likely to trigger anti-conformity in a deviant, but they are also consistent with a motivational account of conformity, in which conformity is strategic behavior aimed at gaining reacceptance from the group.

Children's evaluations of resource allocation in the context of group norms.

This study investigated children's evaluations of peer group members who deviated from group norms about equal and unequal allocation of resources. Children, ages 3.5 to 4 years and 5 to 6 years (N = 73), were asked to evaluate a peer group member who deviated from 1 of 2 group allocation norms: (a) equal allocation of resources, or (b) unequal allocation of resources. Most children negatively evaluated deviant group members who espoused an unequal allocation, even when it benefitted the group, and explained their evaluation with reference to fairness. However, participants who liked unequal deviants (who advocated for an unequal allocation of resources) reasoned about group functioning and the benefits that an unequal allocation would have for the group. With age, children displayed social acumen by differentiating their own evaluation of the deviant act from their expectations of the group's favorability toward that deviant member. Findings revealed age-related increases for social acumen about group norms, as well as the use of fairness reasoning regarding resource allocation.

Corralling the Ingroup: Deviant Derogation and Perception of Group Variability

ABSTRACT Two experiments investigated the relationship between the evaluation of a deviant group member and the perceived group variability among participants with varying degrees of ingroup identification. In Experiment 1 (N = 79) ingroup identification was negatively associated with perceived ingroup variability following the presentation of a deviant ingroup member. This relationship was mediated by ratings of the deviant: the stronger the identification, the more negatively the deviant was evaluated, and the more homogeneous the ingroup was perceived. These effects were replicated in Experiment 2 (N = 169), which also showed that there was no association between ingroup identification and the representation of the outgroup following exposure to a deviant outgroup member. The findings suggest that deviant derogation may serve to isolate undesirable members from the rest of the ingroup and protect the group's identity.

Deviance in group decision making: Group‐member centrality alleviates negative consequences for the group

AbstractResearch on the effects of deviance during group decision making has shown that although it can lead to increased innovation and creativity within the group, group members often dislike the deviant member and rate group morale as lower because of dissent during the decision‐making process. The current study (N = 101) uses an information processing approach to examine the effect of deviance on decision outcomes as well as investigate how the perceived position of group members can influence whether they are given leeway to voice dissent. Results found that deviance can improve group decision making without incurring social costs when a deviant group member occupies a central position within the group. These findings are novel within the field of deviance research yet are consistent with research on group criticism and idiosyncrasy credit and therefore have significant implications for literature on the effect of group deviance and the application of deviance techniques within organisational and educational settings. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Challenge, threat, and subjective group dynamics: Reactions to normative and deviant group members.

The study of in-group deviance has typically measured cognitive or behavioral variables rather than motivational variables. The present research addressed this gap in the literature by using the biopsychosocial (BPS) model of challenge and threat, while testing predictions stemming from the subjective group dynamics (SGD) model. Group members participated in simulated interactions with other group members. Experiment 1 (n 39) manipulated group membership of the interaction partner (in-group vs. out-group) and partner’s attitude (normative vs. deviant). In line with SGD, interaction with out-group deviant members induced motivational challenge. However, interaction with in-group deviants induced neither challenge nor threat. Experiment 2 (n 55) showed that challenge was invoked and confrontation tendency was increased during interactions with in-group deviants when participants had sufficient psychological resources (issue-relevant knowledge). These results are consistent with the SGD model and the BPS model, and they suggest that a desire to enhance or maintain subjective validity is a fundamental process underlying interactions with deviants.

Gender, Attributions of Responsibility, and Negotiation of Deviant Labels in Small Groups

Incorporating both attribution and labeling theory, this article examines the negotiation of deviant labels in small groups, with emphasis on how that process is influenced by attributions of responsibility and the gender of group members. Pressures associated with goal-directed groups make deviant labeling and resistance a common occurrence, especially when the actions of members significantly interfere with group goals or normative expectations. Findings based on the analysis of narrative responses to vignettes demonstrate the prevalence and importance of accounts and conciliatory actions for mitigating group conflict and avoiding negative outcomes. Calling problematic members into account while avoiding hostile undertones effectively initiates dialogue and facilitates the negotiation of group strategies for completing tasks. However, the data also suggest that while deviant group members frequently offer accounts for objectionable behavior, such accounts are rarely honored by conforming members. The results also support previous work showing that women are more likely than men to use calls for accounts to seek mutually satisfactory solutions to group problems. In addition to accounts and conciliatory gestures, displays of interpersonal hostility and the formation of coalitions against the deviant were also found to be consequential elements of the deviance negotiation process.

Dealing with deviants: The effectiveness of rejection, denial, and apologies on protecting the public image of a group

AbstractPublic transgressions by group members threaten the public image of a group when outside observers perceive them as representative of the group in general. In three studies, we tested the effectiveness of rejection of a deviant group member who made a racist comment in public, and compared this to several other strategies the group could employ to protect their image. In Study 1 (N = 75) and Study 2 (N = 51), the group was judged less racist after rejecting the deviant than after claiming a non‐racist position or not responding to the transgression. Perceived typicality of the deviant partially mediated this effect in Study 2. In Study 3 (N = 81), the group was judged least racist after forcing the deviant to apologize and as most racist after denying the severity of the transgression. Results also showed a negative side‐effect of rejection. Perceived exclusion of the deviant contributed to a perception of the group as disloyal to its members, which resulted in a less favorable overall group evaluation. Potential benefits and risks of rejection, denial, and apologies are further discussed in the General Discussion. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Deviance, Self-Typicality, and Group Cohesion

This study investigated the effect of a single work group deviant on other group members' perceptions of the deviant, and their perceptions of the cohesiveness of the group as a whole. Group members, particularly those high in perceived self-typicality, were expected to downgrade the deviant, and view groups containing a deviant as less cohesive. Undergraduate management students were placed in a simulated organizational context in which deviance was manipulated so that the participant's work group contained either a single negative deviant or no deviant. Results showed that the deviant colleague was judged less favorably than the normative colleague, particularly by those high in perceived self-typicality. Groups that contained a deviant were perceived as having lower levels of task cohesion, but ratings of social cohesion varied depending on perceivers' self-typicality. The findings suggest that as well as attracting negative evaluations, deviant group members can adversely affect group cohesion.

Increased group dispersion after exposure to one deviant group member: Testing Hamburger’s model of member-to-group generalization

Past research on member-to-group generalization has failed to distinguish the effect of member descriptive deviance from the effect of member evaluative deviance. In addition, researchers have used group judgments that confound stereotypicality with prejudice. Three experiments resolved these methodological problems and provided the first systematic test of Hamburger’s (1994) model of stereotype change. In Experiment 1 (N=60), consistent with Hamburger’s predictions, exposure to one deviant group member increased perceived group dispersion, but did not affect judgments of group stereotypicality and prejudice. Experiment 2 (N=120) replicated these results in an interpersonal setting, but not in an intergroup setting. Experiment 3 (N=125) replicated the results of Experiment 1 when a member’s profile conveyed information about eight stereotype-relevant dimensions, but not when it conveyed information about only four stereotype-relevant dimensions. We discuss the results in the light of past evidence and future strategies for stereotype change.

Despicability in the Workplace: Effects of Behavioral Deviance and Unlikeability on the Evaluation of In‐Group and Out‐Group Members

This study examined how members of functionally independent work groups (bank employees) evaluated behavioral deviance among in‐group and out‐group members. Members’ behavior was either modal (normative) or deviant in relation to workplace norms, and members were either likeable or unlikeable. Based on social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) and on the black‐sheep effect (e.g., Marques & Paez, 1994), it was predicted that both unlikeability and deviance would result in more negative evaluations. It was also predicted that behavior that challenged prescriptive in‐group standards would result in relative derogation of in‐group targets compared to similar out‐group targets (the evaluative extremity effect). These hypotheses were supported. Discussion focuses on how evaluations of deviant group members help to preserve a positive sense of social identity. Practical implications of social deviance in the workplace are considered.

When exceptions prove the rule: how extremity of deviance determines the impact of deviant examples on stereotypes.

The authors examined how the extent to which counterstereotypic individuals deviate from perceivers' stereotypes affects their impact on these stereotypes and found that extremely deviant group members provoke less stereotype assimilation than do moderately deviant ones. Extremely deviant examples can even provoke boomerang effects, that is, enhance the very stereotype that they violate. When participants whose prior stereotype were moderate or extreme were exposed to moderately or extremely deviant examples, the deviant examples' impact on stereotypes depended both on their extremity and on the extremity of perceivers' prior stereotypes. Boomerang effects were obtained only for extreme-stereotype participants exposed to extremely deviant examples and were mediated by perceptions of the typicality of the deviant examples. Open-ended explanations revealed that the atypicality of extremely deviant examples was used as grounds for dismissing them.

Conceptual structure, communicator importance, and interpersonal attitudes toward conforming and deviant group members.

Conceptual structure, communicator importance, and interpersonal attitudes toward conforming and deviant group members.