The moderating and mediating role of group identification in observers' reactions to intragroup disrespect

Abstract

The current research examines observer reactions to disrespectful treatment of another ingroup member by an ingroup authority. In an empirical study which identifies both the moderating and mediating role of group identification in tandem, specifically with regard to the observed intragroup disrespect, relational motives appeared to underlie subsequent observer evaluations of the group as a whole. Respondents ' pre-transgression identification with the group in which the injustice occurred moderated reactions to intragroup disrespect; only when group members identified strongly with the group did they react to more severe disrespect with worse evaluations. Group identification also mediated the impact of disrespect on subsequent reactions toward the group. Additionally, the relationship between observed disrespect severity and post-transgression identification with the group was further mediated by perceptions of membership value in the group. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.