New comparison dimensions on strategies of cope with negative social identity in low status groups

Abstract

This study was aimed at how group status and comparison dimensions affect inter-group evaluations. According to social identity theory, member of devaluated group may employ some strategies to achieve positive social identity. Focusing strategies of social creativity, we hypothesized that low status groups favored high status out-groups in high status groups related dimensions and status unrelated dimensions, but favored in-groups in low status groups related dimensions. We treated group status and comparison dimension as two independent variables, and the estimations of in-group and out-group performances as dependent variables. The results showed that low status groups estimated the in-group performances equally with the out-group performances in low status groups related dimensions. Further, low status groups favored out-groups in high status groups related dimensions. However, there was a statistically significant difference between low status groups related dimensions and status unrelated dimensions. In contrast, high status groups favored in-groups in high status groups related dimensions and status unrelated dimensions, but estimated the in-group performances equally with the out-group performances in low status groups related dimensions.View full abstract