Behavioral preferences, feelings, and social identity level in a low-status group: The impacts of social identity salience, and group boundary permeability with a novel concept of hierarchical permeability

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Psikoloji Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2007

Öğrenci: VEYSEL MEHMET ELGİN

Danışman: NURAY SAKALLI UĞURLU

Özet:

The aim of this thesis was to investigate the impacts of both the group boundary permeability (with a novel concept) and the social identity salience on the low-status group members’ behavioral preferences, feelings, and social identity level with reference to the social identity theory. The participants were 138 undergraduate students from Abant İzzet Baysal University. All participants completed behavioral alternatives questionnaire, negative feelings of personal treatment questionnaire, and the Organizational Identification Scale. In the experimental design, group boundary permeability (permeable/ hierarchically permeable/ impermeable) and social identity salience (high/ low) were manipulated; and participants were randomly assigned to the conditions. In line with the expectations, the results showed that collective actions were more preferred in the impermeable and hierarchically permeable group boundary conditions compared with the permeable group boundary condition. In addition, results indicated that being the most disruptive action, collective protest action was the least preferred action regardless of the conditions. Furthermore, although the effect of group boundary permeability on the social identity level was not supported, the results demonstrated in part that participants felt more negative feelings when group boundary condition was impermeable. Finally, the results provided considerable evidence that as the novel concept, hierarchically permeable group boundary condition is viable in the permeability studies.