title: When similarity breeds content: need for closure and the allure of homogeneous and self-resembling groups.
abstract: Four studies explored the relation between members' need for cognitive closure and their feelings toward groups. It was found that high (vs. low) need for closure individuals liked in-groups and out-groups more as function of the degree to which their membership was perceived as homogeneous (Studies 1-4), provided it was also self-similar (Studies 3 and 4). These results are discussed in terms of the relation between need for closure and homogeneous (vs. heterogeneous) groups' apparent potential as "closure providers."
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park 20742, USA. arie@psyc.umd.edu
authors.forename: Arie W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Kruglanski
authors.forename: James Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierro
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mannetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012928:Social Desirability; D012933:Social Identification; D012938:Social Perception; D013240:Stereotyping; D014481:United States