Open AccessSocio-Structural Intergroup Characteristics as Predictors of Intention to Join University Alumni Association
Author(s) -
Gideon Mazambani,
Stephen Reysen,
Shonda Gibson,
LaVelle Hendricks
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
world journal of social science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2329-9355
pISSN - 2329-9347
DOI - 10.5430/wjss.v4n2p42
Subject(s) - ingroups and outgroups , association (psychology) , psychology , social psychology , context (archaeology) , social identity theory , identity (music) , collective action , legitimacy , social group , political science , paleontology , physics , politics , acoustics , law , psychotherapist , biology
We examined the association between socio-structural intergroup characteristics (i.e., permeability of groupboundaries, legitimacy of status difference between ingroup and outgroups, stability of status difference) andstudents’ intention to join the university alumni association. Prior theory and research suggests that group membersassess the intergroup context to direct identity management strategies (e.g., leave group, collective action). Collegestudents in their last semester at a university were asked to rate the perceived socio-structural characteristics of theingroup (compared to other universities) and their intention to join the alumni association. The results showed thatperceiving one’s ingroup as legitimately high status and in a stable intergroup context predicted greater intention tojoin the alumni association. Consistent with prior theory, the results suggest that viewing one’s ingroup aslegitimately high status predicts endorsement of actions to maintain a positive and distinct identity.