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Subgroup identities as a key to cooperation within large social groups
Anna Rabinovich1, Thomas A Morton
1School of Psychology, University of Exeter, UK. a.rabinovich@ex.ac.uk
The British Journal of Social Psychology
|March 4, 2011
Summary
Activating a subordinate identity (English) increased willingness to contribute to a shared superordinate resource (British coast) more than activating the superordinate identity. This suggests meaning derived from lower-level identities can enhance cooperation.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Identity and Intergroup Relations
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Self-categorization theory typically predicts that activating superordinate identities enhances cooperation towards shared superordinate resources.
- However, the psychological underpinnings of identity salience and resource contribution require nuanced investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally examine how activating subordinate (English) versus superordinate (British) identity affects willingness to contribute to a shared superordinate resource (British coast).
- To explore the mediating role of self-concept meaningfulness in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Two experimental studies were conducted.
- Participants' identity salience (subordinate vs. superordinate) was manipulated.
- Willingness to contribute to a shared resource and self-concept meaningfulness were measured.
Main Results:
- Contrary to self-categorization theory predictions, activating subordinate identity significantly increased willingness to contribute to the superordinate resource.
- Study 2 demonstrated that increased meaningfulness and coherence of the self-concept mediated this effect.
- Subordinate identities, when providing a meaningful basis for self-definition, can foster cooperation at higher levels.
Conclusions:
- The findings challenge a simple application of self-categorization theory, highlighting the importance of identity meaningfulness.
- Activating subordinate identities can enhance cooperation towards superordinate goals when those identities are central to self-definition.
- Future research should explore the conditions under which subordinate identities foster or hinder intergroup cooperation.
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