Perceptual asymmetry in consensus estimates of majority and minority members.
Three experiments revealed a consistent pattern of consensus estimates. Numerical status and group growth or decline were manipulated between subjects. Growth was manipulated orthogonally to a 3rd variable: focus. Focus was manipulated by describing growth information with respect either to the in-group or the out-group (e.g., in-group growth and out-group decline). A Numerical Status X Focus interaction emerged in Study 1. Numerical minority members' consensus estimates for an opinion issue increased when growth information was out-group focused, whereas majority members' estimates did not differ as a function of the focus variable. Study 2 replicated these effects across other opinion dimensions. Study 3 confirmed the importance of the growth and focus variables in the absence of numerical status manipulations.
Kenworthy
J B
JB
Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-1061, USA. kenworth@rcf.usc.edu
Miller
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception