Group Membership, Group Change, and Intergroup Attitudes: A Recategorization Model Based on Cognitive Consistency...

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Attitude Change

Background:

• Self-concept integration of social identities is crucial for intergroup relations.
• Existing models lack a unified explanation of identity integration mechanisms.
• Cognitive consistency principles offer a framework for understanding self-concept dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce a novel cognitive model for social identity integration into the self-concept.
• Predict how group compatibility affects identification and intergroup attitudes.
• Unify existing theories on identity integration and intergroup bias.

Main Methods:

• Model development based on cognitive consistency principles (balance-congruity, imbalance-dissonance).
• Conceptualization of self-concept, stereotypes, identification, and group compatibility as associative connections.
• Derivation of predictions for intergroup attitudes based on self-group associations and group compatibility.

Main Results:

• Identification strength depends on the compatibility between social groups.
• Intergroup attitudes are influenced by the associative strength between social groups and the self.
• Group compatibility directly impacts the degree of intergroup bias.

Conclusions:

• Basic cognitive mechanisms are central to social identity integration.
• The model explains how identity integration can reduce or increase intergroup bias.
• Group compatibility is a key factor in moderating self-concept and intergroup attitudes.