Open AccessNational identity exploration attenuates the identification–prejudice link
Author(s) -
Olivia Spiegler,
Oliver Christ,
Maykel Verkuyten
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
group processes and intergroup relations/group processes and intergroup relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.535
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1461-7188
pISSN - 1368-4302
DOI - 10.1177/1368430221990093
Subject(s) - ingroups and outgroups , psychology , prejudice (legal term) , social psychology , outgroup , meaning (existential) , identity (music) , social identity theory , identification (biology) , in group favoritism , social identity approach , identity formation , association (psychology) , social group , developmental psychology , self concept , physics , botany , acoustics , psychotherapist , biology
Social identity exploration is a process whereby individuals actively seek information about their group membership and show efforts to understand its meaning. Developmental theory argues that exploration-based ingroup commitment is the basis for outgroup positivity. We tested this notion in relation to national identity and attitudes towards immigrants. The results of five experimental studies among German adolescents and early adults ( N = 1,146; 16–25 years) and one internal meta-analysis suggest that the positive identification–prejudice link is weaker when participants are instructed to explore the meaning of their identity (Study 1). This is not mediated via self-uncertainty (Study 2), but via a reduction in intergroup threat (Study 3) and an increase in deprovincialization (Study 4). In addition, identity exploration enabled strong identifiers to oppose descriptive ingroup norms (Study 5). We conclude that identity exploration can contribute to a further understanding of the identification–prejudice link.