Identity Fusion Research Articles

The interplay of identity fusion, social norms, and pro-environmental behavior: an exploration using the dictator game

ABSTRACT This research investigated how identity fusion with environmental issues interacts with social norms to shape pro-environmental behaviors, elucidating the psychological structure underlying environmental ideological engagement. Building upon a measure of identity fusion that captures both relational and doctrinal components of Zmigrod ideology framework, we found that higher identity fusion positively predicted donations to an environmental association in a Dictator Game paradigm. Importantly, results revealed an interaction between identity fusion and norm source on donation amounts. For individuals lower in environmental identity fusion, pro-environmental norms had a greater impact when originating from a sourcesharing their worldview (low-fused) compared to a distant group (high-fused). However, for individuals with high fusion, norm source proximity did not significantly impact donations. By illuminating this interplay between the relational and doctrinal facets of ideological thinking, this research advances understanding of the social and psychological motivators of environmental actions. These findings highlight the importance of considering identity alignment and social dynamics in fostering ecological engagement.

Mass polarisation: identification with parliamentary discourses and psychological factors

ABSTRACT Ideological polarisation research has gained prominence due to its growing presence in established democracies and its associated negative consequences. This study aimed to explore the identification with polarised parliamentary discourses in a Portuguese sample and its relationship with psychological factors. Results revealed the absence of mass ideological polarisation and a greater leftist identification. Participants who identified more with the right-wing evidenced greater identity fusion with the country and dogmatism, and less tendency to ruminate and to be verbally aggressive. Participants who identified more with the left-wing showed less identity fusion with the country, less dogmatism and greater capacity for empathy, rumination, tolerance to ambiguity, and verbal aggression. Innovative results were also found on the relationship between greater left-wing identification, identity fusion with the country and verbal aggression.

Not exactly twins: Authoritarians and populists differ in their attitudes toward trust in government, elitism, pluralism, political identification, and identity fusion.

Authoritarianism and populism are used regularly to describe the individuals responsible for anti-democratic action. These two constructs share some similarities with regard to how they hinder democracy and at times have been used interchangeably to describe such issues. However, authoritarians and populists may differ with regard to their political identification, as well as how they view the government and the existing establishment. With a US college sample, this study's goal was to examine how authoritarianism and populist attitudes influence views on pluralism, elitism, trust in government, identity fusion, and political identification (identification with American political parties). The findings indicated that right-wing authoritarians trusted the government, endorsed elitist attitudes, but were low on pluralism; this pattern was the opposite for those high on populist attitudes. Left-wing authoritarianism was related only to low pluralism. Moreover, low trust in the government partially mediated the link between populist attitudes and pluralism. Results also indicated that right-wing and left-wing authoritarians identified with the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively, whereas political identification was unrelated to populist attitudes. Furthermore, identity fusion partially mediated the link between right-wing authoritarianism and identification with the Republican Party. Authoritarianism and populist attitudes may explain different motivations for anti-democratic thought and behaviors. This study contributes to ongoing debates found in contemporary populism and authoritarianism research as well as different solutions to addressing their rise in mainstream politics.

Radicalized Trump Supporters: Construing, Identity Fusion, and Hypothetical and Actual Extremism

In May 2021, four months after the fatal insurrection of the “Save America” rally at Capitol Hill, 420 supporters of Donald Trump participated in an online study. Although it was not possible to recruit specifically for those involved, a subsample reported being present and active in the insurrection (n = 38), with several involved in the storming of the Capitol Building (n = 28). Individuals’ construing was examined through the repertory grid technique, combined with measures of fusion to the group and willingness to undertake hypothetical extreme pro-group actions. Relatively low cognitive complexity was observed in those actually or hypothetically willing to be involved in the most extreme actions, suggesting that they were the least able to adapt to the world around them. A more positive and meaningful view of the self was developed on becoming a Trump supporter, and fellow Trump supporters were construed more positively than anti-Trump activists. Repertory grid and fusion scores were associated with both actual and hypothetical extreme action. Findings assist in the advancement of understanding why some individuals undertake extreme acts on behalf of a political leader, whilst others do not. With political environments becoming increasingly polarized around the globe, such knowledge is vital.

Victim’s identification and social categorization: first- and second-order effects on altruistic behavior

We explore in laboratory how donations to a charity can be influenced by the identifiability and the social categorization of the recipients. We find that donors give more, on average, to unidentified than to identified beneficiaries, since the latter are more likely to receive small donations than the former. Average donations are the same for in- and out-group beneficiaries; however, an in-group recipient is more likely to receive a top donation than an out-group one, whereas the latter is more likely than the former to receive an intermediate donation. Both first- and second-order effects are associated to the Dynamic Identity Fusion Index elicited from participants toward the ‘Multicultural World’.

Biblical reconciliation: Preaching unity in the face of Christian nationalism and political schism

The post-Obama era in the United States has been marked by a deepening political divide, particularly within the Christian community, influenced by Christian nationalism and its entanglement with evangelical theology. This article examines the roots of this divide, tracing its origins to the fusion of White evangelical identity with national identity and the politicization of evangelical beliefs. Drawing on 2 Cor 5:10-20, the article explores the apostle Paul’s emphasis on Christ’s reconciling love and the believer’s role as ambassador of reconciliation. Analyzing the impact of divisive identity politics and ideological polarization on the unity of the Christian community, the article proposes a return to preaching the transformative power of Christ’s love to disentangle believers from political schisms while nurturing unity. The ministry of reconciliation is not merely a theoretical concept but a practical imperative for actively bridging divides and sharing the message of unity in Christ. Through a radical shift in perspective, focusing on Christ’s love rather than ideological positions, a Gospel-centered approach enables navigating political tensions and fosters unity within the body of Christ. Ultimately, preaching unity amid political schisms is not only a theological mandate but essential for embodying the transformative message of the Gospel in a divided world.

How shared suffering bonded Britons witnessing the Queen’s funeral

Previous research suggests that sharing emotionally intense experiences with others, for example by undergoing dysphoric collective rituals together, can lead to “identity fusion,” a visceral feeling of oneness that predicts group cohesion and self-sacrifice for the group. In this pre-registered research, we provide the first quantitative investigation of identity fusion following participation in a national funeral, surveying 1632 members of the British public. As predicted, individuals reporting intense sadness during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral exhibited higher levels of identity fusion and pro-group commitment, as evidenced by generosity pledges to a British Monarchist charity. Also consistent with our hypotheses, feelings of unity in grief and emotional sharedness during the event mediated the relationship between sadness intensity and pro-group commitment. These findings shed light on importance of collective rituals in fostering group cohesion, cooperation, and the dynamics of shared emotional experiences within communities.

Fighting together: emotionality, fusion, and psychological kinship in the Syrian civil war

ABSTRACT This article investigates the motivations and affiliations of Syrian fighters within the Third Corp, emphasizing the role of emotionality, identity transformation, and fusion in shaping fighter behavior and decision-making. Through qualitative analysis of interviews with fighters, the study explores how episodic memories, rituals, and shared dysphoric experiences contribute to a complex sense of belonging and solidarity, challenging traditional notions of identity in conflict settings. By employing the concept of identity fusion, the research highlights the construction of psychological kinship and the profound impact of shared emotional dynamics on group cohesion. This study provides insights into the genesis, evolution, and potential resolutions of conflicts, offering a nuanced understanding of fighters’ motivations and the implications for peace processes in Syria and beyond.

Sense of safety or meaning in danger? Real-contact stick fighting as an imagistic ritual.

It is a common assumption that human behavior is guided by a desire to feel safe and avoid harm. However, this view is challenged by the popularity of high-risk leisure sport and other practices that involve subjecting oneself to a considerable danger with no apparent gain. By using real-contact stick fighting as an example, I suggest that the attractiveness of at least some such practices can be explained by cognitive dynamics that are typical of affectively intense rituals such as initiations. Affectively intense rituals are known to enhance personal meaning-making and foster identity fusion, that is, the overlapping of personal and social identities. The sense of meaning thus engendered effectively satisfies common identity motives and thus elicits positive affect. By introducing ritual studies perspectives into the edgework paradigm that is commonly used to conceptualize voluntary risk taking, I contribute to an increased understanding of the cognitive processes motivating participation in extreme leisure sport.

Feeling understood fosters identity fusion.

If the consequences of identity fusion are well established, its psychological antecedents are not. To address this shortcoming, eight studies tested the hypothesis that self-verification (receiving evaluations that confirm one's self-views) increases fusion (a synergistic union with a group, individual, or cause), which, in turn, increases behavioral support for the target of fusion. Correlational studies showed that perceived self-verification was positively associated with fusion, which was positively associated with willingness to fight and die for a group (Study 1a), a value (Study 1b), and a leader (Study 1c). Study 2 revealed that increasing perceived self-verification fostered greater willingness to fight and die for the group but only indirectly through increases in fusion. Study 3 showed that 4 months after indicating the degree of fusion with a group, increasing perceived self-verification augmented endorsement of fighting and dying for the group indirectly through elevations in fusion. In Study 4, relational ties mediated the relationship between perceived self-verification and fusion. Finally, face-to-face interviews with incarcerated members of street gangs and organized crime gangs (Studies 5a-5b) showed that perceived self-verification was positively associated with fusion, which was positively associated with sacrifices for the gang (replicating Studies 1a-1c). No evidence emerged supporting a rival causal path in which fusion caused willingness to fight and die through perceived self-verification. Implications for related theoretical approaches and for conceptualizing the relationship between personal identities, social identities, and group processes are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Fear and Loathing: How Demographic Change Affects Support for Christian Nationalism

Abstract Christian nationalism, the fusion of religious and national identities, has emerged as an important factor shaping public opinion on a range of issues. However, debates in the existing literature on the motivations behind support for Christian nationalism remain unresolved: Is Christian nationalism a response to secularization and/or a cover for discomfort with racial diversity and equality? Is Christian nationalism rooted in fear of social change, disgust about social change, or something else? We use an experiment embedded in a national survey of adults to isolate the effects of knowledge of both religious and racial demographic change among White Christians. Our analysis suggests that exposure to religious demographic change shifts support for Christian nationalism and perceptions of discrimination against Whites and Christians, but exposure to racial demographic change has limited impact. This effect is mediated by emotion—religious demographic change increases fear and disgust, which then influence support for Christian nationalism and perceptions of discrimination against Whites and Christians. Although our treatment suggesting exposure to racial demographic change had null effects, we note that racial attitudes do independently influence support for Christian nationalism and perceptions of discrimination against Whites and Christians.

Why care for humanity?

Some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet-such as climate change, biodiversity loss, warfare and extreme poverty-require social cohesion and prosocial action on a global scale. How can this be achieved? Previous research suggests that identity fusion-a strong form of group cohesion motivating prosocial action-results from perceptions of shared personally transformative experiences or of common biological essence. Here, we present results from two studies with United States samples exploring each pathway to identity fusion on a global scale. Study 1 focused on globally shared motherhood experiences and found that US mothers were more fused with women around the world if they shared motherhood experiences with them, which was also reflected in money allocation behaviour. Study 2 showed that exposure to a talk about globally shared biology increased fusion with humanity at large, Americans and the extended family suggesting that fusion with humanity does not need to weaken fusion with nation or extended family. We discuss implications of our results for future research on bonding with humanity at large and for addressing collective action problems on a global scale.

Этническая идентичность подростков-таджиков, обучающихся в школах Новосибирска, и ее связь с самооценкой

The article deals with the problem of ethnic identity of Tajik teenagers studying in high schools in Novosibirsk. Special attention is paid to the relationship between ethnic identity and self-esteem of Tajik adolescents. Self-esteem can indirectly influence adaptation in society. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that for the first time the fusion of ethnic identity with self-esteem was shown in Tajik adolescents, which explains the difficulties of inculturation among them and the tendency to stay closer to their fellow tribesmen. The study involved Tajik teenagers, citizens of the Russian Federation who speak Russian, aged 15-17 years, high school students of secondary schools in Novosibirsk, (76 people). There are 40 girls and 36 boys among the subjects. To study self-esteem, the “Self-Confidence Test” by G. Romek and the “Self-Confidence Scale” by S. Reizas “RAS” were used. To study ethnic identity, the methodology “Types of Ethnic Identity” by G.U. Soldatova was used, as well as the methodology “Structure of Ethnic Identity” by J. Finney. It is shown that Tajik teenagers who tend to adequately perceive their ethnic identity, as well as those who tend to place excessive emphasis on ethnic identity, have higher self-confidence indicators. The ethnic identity of the studied group is quite harmonious. There were direct moderate links between ethno-fanaticism, ethno-isolationism and self-confidence, and ethno-nihilism correlated with self-doubt. It is concluded that the self-confidence and self-esteem of Tajik teenagers is associated with their ethnic identity, which gives them a sense of belonging to ‘their own group’. Their self-confidence depends on being included in a group of fellow tribesmen, being an integral part of collectivism. The titular ethnic group, Russians, are not perceived as ‘their own group’. The practical significance is seen in the possibility of using the results obtained in psychocorrective work with Tajik adolescents who experience difficulties in psychosocial adaptation in Russia.

Identity fusion and support for political authoritarianism: Lessons from the U.S. insurrection of 2021

AbstractThe recent surge in political authoritarianism has triggered interest in the factors that regulate its rise and fall. We explored these phenomena in the time around the January 6, 2021, insurrection in the United States. Identity fusion (synergistic union) with Trump predicted the perception that Democrats represented an existential threat to the American way of life; higher perceived threat, in turn, predicted endorsement of authoritarian actions against Democrats. Biden supporters did not display analogous effects. Among Trump supporters and, to a lesser extent, Biden supporters, fusion with the United States negatively predicted both the perception that out‐party members represented an existential threat and endorsement of authoritarian actions against them. These findings provide unique insight into the role of identity in the nation's closest brush with authoritarian takeover in over a century.

Exploring the origins of identity fusion: Shared emotional experience activates fusion with the group over time.

Identity fusion is a visceral feeling of oneness with a group, known to strongly motivate extreme pro-group behaviour. However, the evidence on its causes is currently limited, primarily due to the prevalence of cross-sectional research. To address this gap, this study analysed the evolution of fusion in response to a massive collective ritual, Korrika-a race in support of the Basque language-, over three time periods: before (n = 748) and immediately following participation (n = 402), and 7 weeks thereafter (n = 273). Furthermore, we explored the potential mediating roles of two key factors: perceived emotional synchrony, a sense of emotional unity among participants that emerges during collective rituals, and kama muta (moved by love), an unexplored emotion in relation to fusion, which arises from feelings of shared essence. The proportion of fused participants increased significantly after participation and remained stable for at least 7 weeks. Perceived emotional synchrony and kama muta apparently explained the effect of participants' behavioural involvement in the ritual on subsequent fusion, but only among those who were not previously fused with Korrika participants. We conclude that emotional processes during collective rituals play a fundamental role in the construction of identity fusion.

Taking stock of far-right terrorism through manifestos: Glorification of identity

Abstract This research delves into the identity construction and violence justification within the context of far-right lone-actor terrorism, particularly motivated by white supremacist ideologies. Employing a qualitative analysis of manifestos compiled by five lone-actor terrorists, this study adopts a model to unveil the nuanced processes behind the justification of violence and glorification of collective identities. The model has been formed for the purpose of the study, drawing from social identity and identity fusion approaches, including steps such as group alignment, exclusion, threat, virtue, and celebration. The analysis of these manifestos illuminates a progression through each phase of the violent act, meticulously crafted through textual expression. Central to the terrorists’ objectives is the creation of a rhetorical platform aimed at fomenting violence against non-white, ethnic, and religious groups. Their motivation arises from the perceived threat of the ‘white race’ being supplanted by immigrant communities across various social, political, and economic domains. This justification of violence hinges on the portrayal of themselves as protectors of the majority society, pitted against these minority groups. Strikingly, the terrorists celebrate their actions by commemorating past white supremacists who employed violence against marginalised communities.

Crafting Tradition and Innovation: Gulf Sandals

The common name of the traditional Gulf sandal is “Zbeiri Na al”, where “Zbeiri” is the name of the design and “Na al” is the name of the traditional sandal from this region. These sandals embody the fusion of cultural identity and craftsmanship excellence in the United Arab Emirates. The “Zbeiri Na al” sandals are the first traditional sandals known in the Gulf region and are worn all year round by all age groups, from children to elderly men. This article provides an insight into the historical significance of Gulf sandals (also known as Arabian sandals or Emirati sandals), focusing on the craftsmanship and how the traditional sandals are gaining interest from globally renowned fashion brands whose designs are inspired by Gulf culture and tradition. It also examines the cultural essence, market dynamics and the intersection of tradition and innovation in leather craftsmanship in the Gulf, particularly in the United Arab Emirates (hereafter: UAE).

Identity fusion is associated with outgroup trust and social exploration: Evidence for the fusion-secure base hypothesis.

Identity fusion - a powerful form of group alignment - is a strong predictor of using violence to defend the ingroup. However, recent theorizing suggests, in the absence of outgroup threat, fusion may instead promote intergroup trust and cooperation. Across five studies we find evidence that fusion to a range of groups (e.g., country, football team) was consistently positively associated with a willingness to trust others generally, trust outgroup members, and social exploration. An internal meta-analysis indicated that fusion was more strongly associated with trust and social exploration, compared to several measures of group identification. These findings provide support for the fusion-secure base hypothesis (Personality and Social Psychology Review. 2023, 27(2), 107-127) and suggest that fusion has the potential to increase a willingness to interact with, and trust, outgroup members.

Identity Fusion with One’s Country and Willingness to Fight for it: The Moderation Role of Universalism Values

Identity Fusion with One’s Country and Willingness to Fight for it: The Moderation Role of Universalism Values

Quantitatively Identifying Messaging Topics to Encourage West Virginia nurses’ COVID-19 Vaccination

Nurses are particularly influential to others as it relates to COVID-19 vaccination decision-making and are at higher risk of COVID-19 themselves. Yet, nurses’ COVID-19 vaccination remains suboptimal. This study combines communication science frameworks with a novel conceptualize of identity—identity fusion—to explore why nurses may not vaccinate and what strategies might encourage them to protect themselves from COVID-19. Practicing nurses recruited from the West Virginia Nurses Association (N = 328) were asked about their nursing identity, COVID-19 threat perceptions, vaccination efficacy perceptions, vaccination social norms, and both vaccination and information seeking plans. Findings show that social norms may have particular influence over nurses’ vaccination intentions, though this is unique to nurses who do not view themselves as completely “fused” with the nursing identity. “Fully fused” nurses, on the other hand, may respond well to information conveying their particular risk for COVID-19. Data suggest information on one’s self-efficacy or ability to get vaccinated should be avoided, as it might discourage some nurses’vaccination. Findings are discussed in terms of how identity may influence vaccination.