CHOOSING THE RIGHT POND - THE IMPACT OF GROUP MEMBERSHIP ON SELF-ESTEEM AND GROUP-ORIENTED

The group value model (Tyler & Lind, 1992) proposes that two dimension s of group membership-pride and respect-shape people's self-esteem and their behavior in groups. People are concerned with the position of t he groups to which they belong (pride) and with their position within those groups (respect). Study 1 shows that both pride and respect are significantly related to self-esteem and group-oriented behaviors in a study based upon people's self-identification with important groups a nd social categories. Study 2 replicates the same relationships in a c ontext (campus sororities) in which distinctions between and within gr oups are especially salient and important. The results from both studi es demonstrate the value of pride and respect for understanding the re lationships among group membership, self-esteem, and group-oriented at titudes and behaviors. (C) 1997 Academic Press.