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Collective psychological ownership as a new angle for understanding group dynamics
Borja Martinović1, Maykel Verkuyten1
1Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, European Research Centre on Migration and Ethnic Relations (ERCOMER), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
European Review of Social Psychology
|March 6, 2024
Summary
Groups can feel ownership of places and ideas without legal rights, a phenomenon called collective psychological ownership. This feeling, driven by factors like occupancy and investment, influences group behavior and intergroup relations.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Intergroup Relations
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Collective psychological ownership, the feeling of 'ours,' is understudied but crucial for understanding intergroup conflicts and stewardship.
- Existing research lacks comprehensive cross-national and multi-level investigations into the formation and implications of this phenomenon.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the psychological processes underlying collective psychological ownership.
- To examine the social-psychological implications of collective psychological ownership on intragroup and intergroup dynamics.
- To explore the role of ownership threat and group identification in ownership-related processes.
Main Methods:
- Cross-national studies of territorial ownership across various geographical levels.
- Empirical investigation of factors contributing to collective psychological ownership, including primo-occupancy, investment, and formation.
- Analysis of intragroup and intergroup outcomes, moderated by perceived group responsibility and exclusive determination rights.
Main Results:
- Collective psychological ownership is inferred through primo-occupancy, investment, and formation.
- Positive intragroup outcomes and negative intergroup outcomes are associated with collective psychological ownership.
- Perceived group responsibility and exclusive determination rights guide these outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Collective psychological ownership is a significant psychological state with tangible effects on group behavior and intergroup relations.
- Understanding the drivers and consequences of collective psychological ownership is vital for managing conflicts and promoting cooperation.
- Future research should further explore ownership threat and the influence of group identification on these processes.
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