Positive intergroup contact, under some conditions, can undermine the interest of members of both socially disadvantaged and advantaged groups to act for equality. However, little is known about ...whether similar effects appear in a unique form of intergroup relations, gender relations. In two correlational studies and two experiments, we investigated the relationships among quality of contact, perceived discrimination, fusion with the feminist movement, and willingness to engage in collective action for women’s rights. For women (Study 1a), positive contact with men was associated with less perceived discrimination, less fusion, and less collective action. For men (Study 1b), the relationships were in the opposite direction. Studies 2a and 2b revealed that recalling experiences of gender discrimination nullified the effects of contact for both women and men as compared to a control condition. Thus, when discrimination is not explicitly recognized, positive contact might have sedative effects on women, but mobilizing effects on men.
There remains an obvious gap in the acculturation literature, which relates to cultural change associated with the majority/dominant group. This paper explores how majority members react to a ...perceived expectation from minority members that majority members should undergo cultural change. A study was conducted exploring how majority members' perceptions of a demand by minority members that the majority should adopt the minority culture affects the majority members' preferences for minority acculturation, and whether effects are mediated by perceptions of symbolic threat. Two hundred sixty‐six participants who self‐reported being white British completed an online survey. A model was hypothesized whereby a perception that minority members demand that the majority takes on the minority culture predicted perceived symbolic threat, which was in turn negatively associated with a desire that minority members should maintain the minority culture, and positively with a desire that minority members should adopt the majority culture. Results supported the hypothesized model, with all individual paths and indirect effects significant in the hypothesized directions. Symbolic threat mediated the effect of perceived demand for minority culture adoption on majority preferences for minority acculturation. Findings are discussed in relation to implications for intergroup relations in culturally plural societies.
Devoted actors—those who share sacred values with a group with which they are fused—are particularly willing to self-sacrifice to defend their group or values when they are threatened. Here, we ...explore whether they are also prone to aggressive inclinations toward those who endanger their group or convictions. To that end, we examined the effect of threat and the two components of the devoted actor framework—identity fusion and sacred values—on aggressive inclinations. These inclinations were registered with a videogame that allowed participants to destroy ingroup and outgroup symbols. Two experiments indicated that devoted actors reacted to threats to their ingroup and value by increasing aggressive inclinations against the rival group. This effect was apparently mediated by the perceived physical strength of the ingroup versus foes. Results suggest that devoted actors might be more prone to self-sacrifice, but also to attack those who threaten their group or values.
Just a decade ago, two psychologists, Swann, and Gómez, developed a new theoretical framework to explain extreme pro‐group behaviors: identity fusion theory. Identity fusion refers to a visceral ...feeling of oneness with a group that motivates individuals to do extraordinary self‐sacrifices on behalf of the group or each of its members. Since the formulation of the theory, interdisciplinary researchers of the five continents have conducted dozens of studies on identity fusion, both in laboratory and field settings. Research has deepened into the causes, consequences, underlying mechanisms, and applications of identity fusion. The development of fusion‐based research has been steadfast and very prolific. Hence, the first section of the current manuscript includes an updated overview of this fast growing literature. This increasing interest for the theory has, however, been accompanied by a series of misconceptions and untested research assumptions, which we address in the second and third sections of the paper, concluding with a final section suggesting a future research agenda. Our aim is to help those interested in knowing more about identity fusion or about the causal mechanisms that lead individuals to risk their life and personal well‐being for a group discarding common misconceptions as well as formulating more precise and nuanced hypotheses for future research.
The rise of far-right parties with antifeminist sentiments constitutes a new challenge in the path to gender equality. Here, we aim to identify strategies to promote men’s acceptance of social change ...towards equality. Thus, we first examined key concerns about gender equality held by far-right supporters through a discourse analysis of 120 men. The findings revealed a focus on male victimhood, the negation and only partial recognition of inequality, and the delegitimization of feminism. Given the centrality of victimhood in the discourse of far-right male supporters and its social relevance, we developed several non-confrontational strategies based on men’s suffering and supposed (im)morality, and then compared the effectiveness of these strategies for getting men to commit more to gender equality. Two experimental studies (
n
= 417 and 428 men) revealed that recognizing that men are generally moral or that they also suffer because of gender stereotypes led participants to increase their willingness to participate in collective action for women’s rights. In contrast, questioning their morality by denouncing men’s violence against women had no impact on their intentions. We conclude that non-confrontational strategies that address men's concerns about feminist advancement can prevent potential defensive reactions and make them more receptive to social change towards gender equality.
Acceptance of cultural differences can contribute to diversity. However, naïve realism—the conviction that one’s views are objective whereas others’ are biased—might hinder intercultural coexistence. ...We tested, in three experimental studies, whether a cognitive strategy based on raising awareness of the naïve realism, without any reference to culture and free of emotional involvement, can have a beneficial effect on cultural acceptance. Results revealed that participants showed more acceptance of cultural differences once they were aware of this bias (Study 1). The intervention had an indirect effect on acceptance via openness, especially for participants higher in prejudice (Study 2). Participants aware of this bias could not maintain an enhanced self-view, which mediated the effect of the manipulation on acceptance (Study 3). These findings suggest that strategies based on “cold” cognition, without an explicit emphasis on culture, might be beneficial for increasing the acceptance of cultural differences in an era of xenophobia.
Acculturation is a bidirectional process in which both the majority and minority groups change as they relate to each other. In Spain, studies have usually focused on the acculturation of minorities ...(e.g., Moroccans) upon their arrival in Spanish society, but little has been said about the acculturation of the majority. In this study, we analyzed whether making salient the richness of the Moroccan culture can affect the stereotypes of (im)morality of a sample of Spanish participants regarding Moroccan immigrants as well as their attitude toward adopting Moroccan cultural patterns through a process of self-perceived unfreezing of previous beliefs. In a preliminary study, we explored what people of Moroccan origin would like Spaniards to learn from Moroccans. Then, using an intergroup experimental design, we randomly assigned participants to one of the following three conditions: (a) enrichment of Moroccan culture (using excerpts from actual discourses, n = 222), (b) exposure to Moroccan immigration rates (n = 238), or (c) a control condition (n = 181). The results revealed that the participants in the cultural enrichment condition experienced more self-perceived unfreezing of previous beliefs, perceived Moroccans as more moral (only vs. the immigration rates condition), and reduced their resistance to adopting Moroccan cultural patterns, even though the effects were small. Furthermore, self-perceived unfreezing of previous beliefs mediated the effect of the cultural enrichment condition on perceived morality (but not immorality) and on the adoption of Moroccan cultural patterns. We discuss how, by emphasizing the enrichment of Moroccan culture, we can increase the morality attributed to Moroccans and decrease the resistance of Spaniards to adopting that minority culture.
Recientemente se han propuesto 2 aproximaciones teóricas que tratan de explicar por qué algunas personas están dispuestas a morir y matar por su grupo o por sus creencias. La fusión de la identidad ...es una conexión visceral con un grupo que predice la disposición a comportamientos extremos por el grupo. La teoría de los valores sagrados sostiene que algunas personas tienen una conexión visceral con un valor que les lleva a considerarlo sagrado y predice la disposición a hacer sacrificios costosos por dichos valores. El modelo de los actores devotos postula que quienes mantienen ciertos valores sagrados y están fusionados con el grupo que comparte dichos valores estarán dispuestos a hacer sacrificios excepcionalmente costosos y extremos por sus creencias y/o por su grupo. El presente trabajo analiza estas teorías y el modelo de los actores devotos desde el punto de vista de su relación con el terrorismo.
Two theoretical approaches have been recently proposed to explain why some individuals are willing to die and kill for their group or for their beliefs. Identity fusion is a visceral connection with a group that predicts willingness to perform extreme behavior for the group. Sacred values theory suggests that some people have a visceral connection with a value that makes them consider that value as sacred, and predicts willingness for costly sacrifices for such values. The Devoted Actors model postulates that those who hold certain sacred values and that are fused with the group that shares such values will be willing to conduct sacrifices exceptionally costly and extreme for their beliefs and for their group. The current paper analyzes these theories and the Devoted Actors model from a point of view of their relation to terrorism.
Previous research suggests that moral foundations have consequences for intergroup relations, but the evidence is mostly correlational and gathered mainly in north American countries. This work aimed ...to replicate the conceptual findings in the European context and test the effects of manipulating a moral framing on the perceived (im)morality of minority groups, willingness to defend their rights collectively and support for anti-immigration policies. A correlational study showed that binding and individualizing foundations contributed to predict support for anti-immigration policies and willingness to participate in collective actions for immigrants’ rights. A follow-up experiment suggested that emphasizing the benefits for society of fairness—an individualizing foundation—(vs. authority—a binding foundation) may improve intergroup evaluations, increase collective action intentions, and reduce support for anti-immigration policies. Although a second preregistered experiment could not replicate the results, complementary analyses suggested some positive effects of fairness compared with the control and authority conditions. These results open a path to investigate whether a fairness moral reasoning might improve attitudes toward immigrants.
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