The Effect of Difference Oriented Communication on the Subjective Validity of an In-Group Norm

DOC Can Treat the Group

Frings, Daniel
Abrams, Dominic

¹Department of Psychology, London South Bank University
²Department of Psychology, University of Kent

Daniel Frings, Department of Psychology, London South Bank University, 102 Borough Road, London, UK SE1 6LN [email protected]

Submission August 17, 2009. Revision December 19, 2009. Accepted January 13, 2010.

Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice 14(4):p 281-291, December 2010. | DOI: 10.1037/a0019162

The subjective group dynamics model predicts that in-group deviants who violate in-group norms that differentiate between the in-group and the out-group threaten the in-group's public image and its sense of validity. Previous research has shown that, to reduce this threat, group members attempt to symbolically marginalize in-group deviants through negative evaluation. In the current study (N = 107), the effect of another form of symbolic marginalization (difference oriented communication) is investigated. The findings support the subjective group dynamics model by showing that group members whose communications to deviants highlighted differences experienced a subsequent increase in subjective validity of in-group norms.