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Uncertainty, entitativity, and group identification

Hogg, Michael A., Sherman, David K., Dierselhuis, Joel, Maitner, Angela T., Moffitt, Graham (2007) Uncertainty, entitativity, and group identification. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43 (1). pp. 135-142. ISSN 0022-1031. (doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2005.12.008) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:12972)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2005.12.008

Abstract

Two studies examined the effects of self-uncertainty and ingroup entitativity on group identification. From uncertainty reduction theory (Hogg, 2000), it was hypothesized that people would identify most strongly with their group if they felt self-conceptually uncertain and the group was highly entitative. Study 1 was a field experiment (N = 114) in which the perceived entitativity of participants' political party was measured, and self-uncertainty was primed (high vs. low). Study 2 was a laboratory experiment (N = 89) with ad hoc non-interactive groups. Uncertainty was primed as in Study 1, but perceived entitativity was manipulated. In both cases the dependent variable was a multi-item measure of group identification. The hypothesis was fully supported in both studies-participants identified more strongly when they were uncertain and the group was highly entitative. Implications of this research for the role of uncertainty and social identity in extremism, orthodoxy, and ideological belief systems are discussed.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.jesp.2005.12.008
Uncontrolled keywords: social identity; uncertainty reduction; entitativity; intergroup behavior; extremism
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Suzanne Duffy
Date Deposited: 15 Sep 2008 11:14 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:50 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/12972 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Maitner, Angela T..

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