Predictions by social identity theory (SIT) and relative deprivation theory (RDT) concerning preferences for strategies to cope with a negative in-group status position were tested. The focus of the present research was a comparison of the theories regarding their differential patterns of prediction. For this purpose, a natural sample within a specific historical situation was investigated: East Germans after the German unification. First, the predictive power of SIT and RDT variables was tested separately. In a second step, a possible integration of the theories was addressed. Combining the SIT variables and RDT variables led to an integrated model indicating a differential pattern of prediction for intergroup strategies. The RDT components explained the collective responses, whereas SIT constructs were related to individual strategies. People prefer a positive self-evaluation that is based on their own judgments as well as those of others (Taylor & Brown, 1988). They try to differentiate themselves positively from others. One important source of self-evaluation is the relative status position of the groups people belong to and identify with. Depending on the outcome of a comparison with relevant out-groups, this status position may be characterized as advantaged or as disadvantaged. Such an unsatisfactory status position leads to engagement in strategies to cope with and overcome an unsatisfactory status position. Likewise, if questioned, people tend to defend a satisfactory status position and maintain a positive in-group evaluation. These strategic responses are modes of intergroup behavior. Theories of intergroup relations provide explanatory concepts to understand and, more important, to predict preferences for various kinds of intergroup behavior. Two prominent theories in this domain are social identity theory (
It is argued that the differentiation between nationalism and patriotism proposed in the literature can be seen as analogous to judgments based on different types of comparisons: intergroup comparisons with other nations are associated with intergroup behaviour that corresponds to nationalism, whereas temporal or standard comparisons are linked with behaviour that corresponds to patriotism. Four studies (N = 103, 107, 96 and 105) conducted in Germany and Britain examined the hypothesis that national identification and in-group evaluation only show a reliable relationship with out-group rejection under an intergroup comparison orientation. Participants were primed with either an intergroup comparison, a temporal comparison or no explicit comparison orientation. A subsequent questionnaire assessed in-group (own country) identification, in-group evaluation (i.e. national pride) and rejection of national out-groups. Across all four studies, both in-group identification and in-group evaluation show a stronger correlation with out-group derogation if participants were primed with an intergroup comparison orientation compared to temporal and control conditions. Results are discussed with regard to nationalism and patriotism as well as Hinkle and Brown's (1990) model on relational vs. autonomous orientations.
In a ®eld study in East Germany, predictions by Social Identity Theory concerning relations among socio-structural characteristics of intergroup relations (stability, legitimacy, permeability) and identity management strategies (e.g. social competition) were examined. In general, East Germans were expected to consider their status position as inferior compared to West Germans. Moreover, depending on whether they regard such a status dierence as legitimate or illegitimate, as stable or unstable, and whether they perceive group boundaries as permeable or impermeable, East German participants should dier with respect to identity management strategies such as change of status relations, change of categorization, change of comparison dimension, change of comparison object and change of group membership. Five hundred and seventeen participants from dierent regions of East Germany completed a questionnaire on various aspects of life satisfaction. A path model including stability, legitimacy and permeability as predictors, ingroup identi®cation as mediator and identity management strategies as criteria was tested. Results are mainly in line with assumptions on main eects derived from Social Identity Theory. However, some extensions and clari®ca-tions with respect to assimilation situations seem to be adequate. In addition, results show that ingroup identi®cation can be regarded as a powerful mediator between perceived intergroup relations and identity management strategies.
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