A model of multicultural solidarity: The roles of identification and consciousness in intergroup cohesiveness among members of women's social change organizations.
Item
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Title
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A model of multicultural solidarity: The roles of identification and consciousness in intergroup cohesiveness among members of women's social change organizations.
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Identifier
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AAI3169916
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identifier
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3169916
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Creator
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Greenwood, Ronni Michelle.
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Contributor
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Adviser: William E. Cross, Jr
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Date
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2005
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Social | Women's Studies
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Abstract
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The collective identity of a social movement organization can unite diverse constituents; it can also divide them if it fails to satisfy their various identity needs. Theories of intergroup relations such as the Common Ingroup Identity Model (Gaertner & Dovidio, 2000), Mutual Intergroup Differentiation Model (Hewstone & Brown, 1986), and Ingroup Projection Model (Mummendey & Wenzel, 1999) explain how a collective identity can either enhance or degrade intergroup relations, depending on whether it protects or threatens subgroup identities. These theoretical frames were used to investigate the effects of identification on cohesiveness among women who have come together to accomplish a common goal.;Women (n = 174) members of social change organizations completed an online questionnaire that assessed factors such as identification, cohesiveness, inter-subgroup bias, feminist consciousness, the cognitive representation of the superordinate group, organization culture, superordinate prototype inclusiveness, inter-subgroup bias, and group cohesiveness. Meaningful groups were chosen by each participant (e.g., feminist, younger, secular). Threat to subgroup identity (normative conformity) was manipulated via a priming procedure. A new measure of feminist intersectional consciousness was developed and its relation to cohesiveness and inclusiveness was assessed.;Cluster analysis generated four superordinate representation profiles which were compared on measures of bias, intolerance, and cohesiveness. Three levels of group cohesiveness were assessed: intra-subgroup, inter-subgroup and superordinate. Intra-subgroup cohesiveness was predicted by gendered action orientation and having an inclusive superordinate prototype. Inter-subgroup cohesiveness was predicted by an individuated dual superordinate representation, especially in the absence of subgroup threat and identification with the target subgroup. Organization egalitarianism predicted lower inter-subgroup cohesiveness, but was fully mediated by the effect of inter-subgroup work bias. Ingroup projection predicted lower intersubgroup cohesiveness, but was mediated by identification with the target subgroup. Superordinate cohesiveness was predicted by a single superordinate representation, but the effect of subgroup threat on task cohesiveness was lower when the superordinate representation was dual-deindividuated. Egalitarian organization culture and self-prototypicality also predicted greater superordinate cohesiveness.;These results point toward a three-level model of group cohesiveness, in which self-oriented factors such as prototypicality predict intra-subgroup and superordinate cohesiveness, while factors that protect subgroup distinctiveness and promote cross-subgroup identification enhance inter-subgroup cohesiveness.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
