title: Protecting threatened identity: sticking with the group by emphasizing ingroup heterogeneity.
abstract: In two studies (Ns=163, 164), the authors tested the prediction that perceptions of group variability can steer and guide the way that loyalty is expressed in times of identity threat. In both studies, participants were classified as lower or higher identifiers on the basis of their scores on a group identification measure, and manipulations involved group variability perceptions (homogeneous ingroup vs. heterogeneous ingroup) and threat to the ingroup. Higher identifiers presented with a homogeneous ingroup perceived more ingroup homogeneity under threat than when there was no threat. In contrast, higher identifiers who perceived the ingroup initially as heterogeneous perceived more ingroup heterogeneity under threat than in no threat conditions. Lower identifiers perceived more ingroup heterogeneity under threat (vs. no threat) irrespective of manipulated group variability perceptions. Discussion focuses on different ways that group loyalty can be expressed in times of identity threat.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychological Science, University of Leeds, United Kingdom. p.a.hutchison@leeds.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hutchison
authors.forename: Jolanda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jetten
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haycraft
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D012933:Social Identification; D012938:Social Perception