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“We have no quarrel with you”: Effects of group status on characterizations of “conflict” with an outgroup
Author(s) -
Livingstone Andrew G.,
Sweetman Joseph,
Bracht Eva M.,
Haslam S. Alexander
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
european journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1099-0992
pISSN - 0046-2772
DOI - 10.1002/ejsp.2062
Subject(s) - outgroup , ingroups and outgroups , psychology , social psychology , group conflict , action (physics) , relevance (law) , in group favoritism , social group , social identity theory , political science , physics , quantum mechanics , law
In three studies, we examined the effect of intergroup status on group members' tendencies to characterize the ingroup's relationship with an outgroup as conflictual following outgroup action. Findings from all three studies supported the prediction that the intergroup relationship would be characterized as less conflictual when the ingroup had relatively high rather than low status. Consistent with the hypothesis that the effect of status reflects strategic concerns, it was moderated by the perceived relevance of the outgroup's action to intergroup status relations (study 1), it was sensitive to audience (study 2), and it was partially mediated by status management concerns (study 3). The role of strategic, status‐related factors in intergroup relations is discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.