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The social network of solidarity with migrants: The role of perceived injunctive norms on intergroup helping behaviors
Author(s) -
Roblain Antoine,
Hanioti Mado,
Paulis Emilien,
Van Haute Emilie,
Green Eva G. T.
Publication year - 2020
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.2700
Subject(s) - social norms approach , psychology , social psychology , solidarity , norm (philosophy) , personal network , helping behavior , perception , sociology , politics , political science , neuroscience , social science , law
Using an ego‐centered network approach, we examine across two studies whether and how injunctive network norm s—behaviors that are approved by alters—are related to majority members’ decisions to participate in helping actions supporting migrants. We hypothesize that the more people perceive their personal social networks as positive toward humanitarian actions for migrants, the more they consider their opinions on migration issues as self‐defining, and the more they are willing to mobilize in helping behaviors. With a name generator approach, we collected personal social network data among majority members of Belgian, mobilized volunteers (Study 1, N = 204) and Swiss, non‐mobilized participants (Study 2, N = 247). Results demonstrate the impact of injunctive network norms in promoting and maintaining helping actions for migrants, and the role of self‐defining attitudes. Overall, the results highlight the importance of injunctive norms within personal social networks for participation in intergroup helping behaviors.