Kollektive Identifikation und prosoziales Verhalten: Zur Rolle von Normen innerhalb der Eigengruppe, Empathie für Eigengruppenmitglieder und der Verschmelzung von Eigen- und Gruppeninteressen

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Stefan Stürmer
• Subject Area: Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: from 2001 to 2003
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5333920

Drawing on the social identity or self-categorization approach (e.g., TURNER, HOGG, OAKES, REICHER & WETHERELL, 1987) recent research demonstrates that collective identification is a crucial antecedent of group-serving behavior (e.g., collective action/volunteerism). The main aim of the planned research is to further decompose the causal chain and specify the psychological processes underlying the effectiveness of collective identification more precisely. In particular, building on prominent social psychological theorizing, the role of three different mediating processes will be examined. First, self-categorization theory (TURNER et al, 1987) suggests that the effect of collective identification is mediated by compliance to and/or internalization of relevant ingroup norms. Second, research on the empathy-altruism hypothesis (BATSON, 1991) points to the possibility that collective identification effects might be mediated by feelings of empathic concern for ingroup members. Third, collective identification may lead to self-ingroup merging, including merging of self-ingroup interests (TROPP & WRIGHT, 1999). Three laboratory studies are planned to investigate the role of ingroup norms, empathic concern and self-ingroup merging, respectively, as possible mediators of the effect of collective identification on ingroup-serving behavior. Finally, a field study is planned to examine the role of these variables in AIDS volunteerism.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships