The differential effects of identification modes on suggestion-making behaviour

Sharing ideas and offering suggestions for group improvement, while highly beneficial for the group, can challenge its existing order, potentially creating normative conflict. Integrating this perspective with the multidimensional approach to group identification, this research examined the distinct, even opposing, effects of different identification modes on overt suggestion-making behaviour. In two field studies (n = 599 and n = 412), we hypothesized and found that the affective mode of identification (commitment) positively predicted overt suggestion-making behaviour, whereas the normative mode of identification (deference) predicted it negatively. These effects were consistent when the identification modes and suggestion-making were measured concurrently (Studies 1 and 2), and when suggestion-making was assessed again 2 years later (Study 1). The hypothesized opposing effects of the identification modes were consistent even after accounting for the enduring components of identification and suggestion-making behaviour in a model combining Studies 1 and 2, and were partially mediated by personal values (Study 1). Taken together, our findings reveal that groups seeking to foster high identification among their members should carefully consider the specific mode they aim to encourage, bearing in mind their differential implications.