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Social identity change in response to discrimination
Cristina Perozzo1, Roxane de la Sablonnière1, Emilie Auger2
1University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The British Journal of Social Psychology
|June 1, 2016
Summary
Discrimination
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Minority Group Studies
- Sociology
Background:
- Conflicting findings exist regarding the relationship between perceived discrimination and social identity.
- Group-based emotions and the ambiguity of discrimination cues are crucial for understanding minority group experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how group-based dissatisfaction and the ambiguity of discrimination cues influence social identity change among minority group members.
- To test the moderating role of perceived discrimination between group-based dissatisfaction and social identity change.
Main Methods:
- 151 Arab Muslims in Quebec participated.
- Participants read fictitious newspaper articles depicting either overt or ambiguous discrimination.
- Social identity change was measured in relation to group-based dissatisfaction and perceived discrimination.
Main Results:
- Overt discrimination: Group-based dissatisfaction positively predicted social identity change.
- Ambiguous discrimination: Low perceived discrimination and low dissatisfaction led to decreased social identity.
- Ambiguous discrimination: Low perceived discrimination and high dissatisfaction led to increased social identity.
Conclusions:
- The impact of discrimination on social identity is moderated by its ambiguity and the presence of group-based emotions.
- Understanding the nuances of discrimination perception is key to comprehending social identity dynamics in minority groups.
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