The Bronze Soldier: Identity Threat and Maintenance in Estonia

Summary: A social identity model of effort exertion in groups is presented. In contrast to most traditional research on productivity and performance motivation, the model is assumed to apply to groups of all sizes and nature, and to all membership contingent norms that specify group behaviors and goals. It is proposed that group identification renders behavior group-normative and encourages people to behave in line with group norms. The effect should be strengthened among people who most need consensual identity validation from fellow members, and in intergroup contexts where there is inescapable identity threat from an outgroup. Together these processes should encourage people to exert substantial effort on behalf of their group.

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Processing of Social Identity Threats

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000133 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 44 (6) ◽

pp. 361-372 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Natascha de Hoog

Keyword(s):

Social Identity ◽

Social Identification ◽

Negative Group ◽

Identity Threat ◽

Neutral Group ◽

Threat Perceptions ◽

Social Identity Threat ◽

Identity Threats ◽

Group Information ◽

Source Study

The underlying process of reactions to social identity threat was examined from a defense motivation perspective. Two studies measured respondents’ social identification, after which they read threatening group information. Study 1 compared positive and negative group information, attributed to an ingroup or outgroup source. Study 2 compared negative and neutral group information to general negative information. It was expected that negative group information would induce defense motivation, which reveals itself in biased information processing and in turn affects the evaluation of the information. High identifiers should pay more attention to, have higher threat perceptions of, more defensive thoughts of, and more negative evaluations of negative group information than positive or neutral group information. Findings generally supported these predictions.

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Managing a Social Identity Threat

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000079 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 41-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Stefano Pagliaro ◽

Francesca Romana Alparone ◽

Maria Giuseppina Pacilli ◽

Angelica Mucchi-Faina

Keyword(s):

Social Identity ◽

Identity Threat ◽

Status Group ◽

Social Identity Threat ◽

Social Creativity ◽

Threatening Situation

We examined how members of a low status group react to a social identity threat. We propose that expressing an ambivalent evaluation toward the ingroup may represent a way to manage such a threatening situation. For this study, 131 undergraduates’ identification with Italians was assessed. Participants were divided into groups, according to a situational identity threat (high vs. low). In line with hypotheses, low identifiers expressed more ambivalence toward the ingroup in the high (vs. low) threat condition. The reversed pattern emerged for high identifiers. This effect was mediated by the perception of intragroup variability, a well-known social creativity strategy. Results confirmed our interpretation of ambivalence as a form of social creativity, and are discussed in terms of social identity concerns.

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