Membership Status and Subjective Group Dynamics: Who Triggers the Black Sheep Effect?

• Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology 2010-07, Vol.99 (1), p.107-119
• Main Authors: Pinto, Isabel R, Marques, José M, Levine, John M, Abrams, Dominic
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Attitude; Behavior Control - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Group Dynamics; Groups; Hierarchy, Social; Human; Humans; Ingroups; Intergroup Dynamics; Intergroup Relations; Male; Marginal; Membership; Membership groups; Memberships; Middle Aged; Models, Psychological; Peer Group; Prejudice; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Sheep; Social Behavior; Social Identification; Social Identity; Social interactions. Communication. Group processes; Social psychology; Social status; Socialization; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-3514; 1939-1315
• DOI: 10.1037/a0018187

In 3 experiments, participants ( N s = 50, 95, and 75, respectively) judged 2 ingroup or outgroup members who occupied 1 of 3 statuses-new members, full members, or marginal members. In each case, 1 of these members adopted a normative position and another supported a deviant position regarding a relevant issue. Participants upgraded normative ingroup full members and derogated deviant ingroup full members compared with all other members. In addition, derogation of deviant ingroup members was associated with a socializing and a punishing intention toward new members and full members, respectively. These results are discussed in terms of the group socialization model (e.g., Levine & Moreland, 1994 ) and the subjective group dynamics model (e.g., Marques, Paez, & Abrams, 1998 ).