Intergroup Leadership Across Distinct Subgroups and Identities.

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Organizational Behavior
• Leadership Studies

Background:

• Intergroup conflict resolution is a critical leadership challenge, yet it is under-researched.
• Leaders face difficulties managing divisions between distinct subgroups without triggering identity threat.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the hypothesis that leader identity strategy effectiveness depends on the presence of intergroup identity threat.
• To determine if promoting an intergroup relational identity or a collective identity is more effective under varying threat conditions.

Main Methods:

• Three studies (N = 170, N = 120, N = 136) were conducted.
• Participants' responses to leaders promoting either an intergroup relational identity or a collective identity were assessed.
• Study 3 specifically examined the impact on intergroup attitudes during identity distinctiveness threat.

Main Results:

• Studies 1 and 2 supported the core proposition regarding leader effectiveness based on identity strategy and threat.
• In the presence of identity threat, leaders promoting an intergroup relational identity were better evaluated and more effective.
• When no identity threat was present, leaders promoting a collective identity were more effective.

Conclusions:

• The effectiveness of leadership strategies in intergroup conflict is contingent on the level of identity threat.
• Promoting an intergroup relational identity is crucial for leaders when subgroups perceive a threat to their distinctiveness.
• Leaders can improve intergroup attitudes by adopting an intergroup relational identity approach during periods of identity threat.