title: Shared identity is key to effective communication.
abstract: The ability to communicate with others is one of the most important human social functions, yet communication is not always investigated from a social perspective. This research examined the role that shared social identity plays in communication effectiveness using a minimal group paradigm. In two experiments, participants constructed a model using instructions that were said to be created by an ingroup or an outgroup member. Participants made models of objectively better quality when working from communications ostensibly created by an ingroup member (Experiments 1 and 2). However, this effect was attenuated when participants were made aware of a shared superordinate identity that included both the ingroup and the outgroup (Experiment 2). These findings point to the importance of shared social identity for effective communication and provide novel insights into the social psychology of communication.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia k.greenaway@psy.uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Katharine H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Greenaway
authors.affiliation: Australian National University, Canberra.
authors.forename: Ruth G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Australian National University, Canberra.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Willingham
authors.affiliation: Australian National University, Canberra.
authors.forename: Katherine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: S Alexander
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Haslam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012933:Social Identification; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: categorization; communication; social identity