title: Is it better to be moral than smart? The effects of morality and competence norms on the decision to work at group status improvement.
abstract: Three studies examined strategies of status improvement in experimentally created (Study 1 and 2) and preexisting (Study 3) low-status groups. Theory and prior research suggested that an in-group norm that established a particular strategy of status improvement as moral (rather than competent) would have a greater effect on individuals' decision to work at this strategy. Both Study 1 and Study 2 found that morality norms had a greater impact than competence norms on individuals' decision to work at group (rather than individual) status improvement. In both studies participants also needed less time to decide on a strategy of status improvement when it is was encouraged by a morality norm rather than a competence norm. Study 3 used a preexisting low-status group (i.e., Southern Italians) to further confirm that morality norms have a greater effect on the decision to work at group status improvement than do competence norms. Results are discussed in terms of social influence and identity management strategies.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Psychological Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ellemers
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pagliaro
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: Colin Wayne
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Leach
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition; D003657:Decision Making; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D012933:Social Identification; D055815:Young Adult