SELF-STEREOTYPING IN THE FACE OF THREATS TO GROUP STATUS AND DISTINCTIVENESS - THE ROLE OF GROUP IDENTIFICATION

In four studies, effects of self-perceived or public-perceived threats to group status or group distinctiveness on self-stereotyping (define d as similarity to prototypical in-group members) were investigated fo r people with high or low in-group identification. The main prediction was that high and low identifiers will respond differentially when th eir group's status or distinctiveness is threatened such that self-ste reotyping is reduced for low identifiers but enhanced for high identif iers. Although the four studies investigated different comparison grou ps and different kinds of group threat, the results of all studies pro vided support for the prediction, and this was confirmed by a meta-ana lysis. This supports the authors' argument that the initial level of g roup identification determines whether group members are likely to set themselves apart from the rest of their group or to show group solida rity when their identity as group members is threatened.