Intergroup and intragroup dynamics of communication: Identity validation, trust, and action

A key function of communication is to signify values and norms. In this paper, we tour some of our recent research as well as new evidence on social psychological processes affecting the impacts of group communication and its implications for so-called Intergroup Communication Principles. We contend that communication within and between groups is subjectively interconnected, specifically through the process of subjective group dynamics. These dynamics affect how groups respond to leaders (or groups) that depart from prevailing norms, when these communications initiate a norm shift rather than inviting opprobrium, and whether communication by outgroup members can break down prejudice. Using new evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic, we examine which communications are most trusted in an intergroup hierarchy, showing the critical role of local identity. Finally, we describe field studies demonstrating how group norm communications can promote prosocial environmental behavior. We conclude that group-based communication is likely to be strongly directed toward occupying the center ground of communicative practice that groups’ responses to their members are motivated by the desire to reinforce the validity of the group’s norms, and their receptiveness toward leaders is dependent on the leader’s advancement of the group’s subjective validity.