A longitudinal investigation of the rejection–identification hypothesis

Abstract

The rejection-identification model (RIM; Branscombe, Schmitt, & Harvey, 1999) is supported by a number of previous studies (e.g., Schmitt, Branscombe, Kobrynowicz, & Owen, 2002; Schmitt, Spears, & Branscombe, 2003). This suggests that rejection by an outgroup can lead minority group members to identify more with their ingroup, thereby buffering them from the negative effects of discrimination. However, contradictory findings have been produced by other research (e.g., Eccleston & Major, 2006; Major, Quinton, & Schmader, 2003; McCoy & Major, 2003; Sellers & Shelton, 2003), suggesting that the relationship between rejection and identification is far from being completely understood. In the present study, we followed a cohort of 113 international students for a period of 2 years. The study sought to extend the previous work in two important ways. First, it examined the RIM within a longitudinal perspective. Second, building on important work on the multidimensionality of social identification (e.g., Ellemers, Kortekaas, & Ouwerkerk, 1999; Jackson, 2002), it tested the RIM using a three-dimensional approach to group identification. Results supported the predictions of the RIM and indicated that perceived discrimination causes minority group identification and not the reverse. The multidimensional approach also served to reveal a specific effect of discrimination on the cognitive components of identification.

Kill or cure? Different types of social class identification amplify and buffer the relation between social class and mental health

“…SIT researchers have also found that the sense of social integration and connectedness that accompanies group membership is negatively related to depression (Cruwys, Haslam, Dingle, Haslam, & Jetten, 2014;Kawachi & Berkman, 2001;Ramos, Cassidy, Reicher, & Haslam, 2012). Social identification taps into this sense of social connectedness and has been shown to support psychological well-being (Elliott & Doane, 2015;Greenaway, Cruwys, S. A. Haslam, & Jetten, 2016;Khan et al, 2014;Sani, Herrera, Wakefield, Boroch & Gulyas, 2012).…”

Appraisals of discriminatory events among adult offspring of Indian residential school survivors: The influences of identity centrality and past perceptions of discrimination.

“…Although these different dimensions of identity are often positively correlated with each other, they have been shown to have differing relationships with the same outcome variables. For example, in a sample of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, identity centrality and in-group affect (i.e., feelings of pride associated with group membership) had opposing positive and negative relationships with perceived discrimination, respectively (Bombay et al, 2010), which has also been reported among other minority populations (Ramos, Cassidy, Reicher, & Haslam, 2012). In effect, the widespread practice of not distinguishing between these dimensions of identity has been suggested to be a main factor in contributing to the many divergent findings reported in studies exploring the relationships between identity, perceived discrimination, and well-being, and highlight the importance of clearly describing which aspect of identity is being considered (Ashmore et al, 2004;Markstrom et al, 2011;Ramos et al, 2012).…”

“…Therefore, although the more affective and relational aspects of identity often act as protective factors for certain measures of well-being, such as depressive symptoms (Bombay et al, 2010;Brondolo, ver Halen, Pencille, Beatty, & Contrada, 2009;Ramos et al, 2012;SpencerRodgers & Collins, 2006), these benefits can sometimes be mitigated by the fact that minority group members with high levels of identity centrality appear to be more likely to report experiencing high levels of discrimination (Bombay et al, 2010;Sellers, Caldwell, Schmeelk-Cone, & Zimmerman, 2003;SpencerRodgers, & Collins, 2006).…”

Racial Identity and Well-Being among African Americans

“…Discrimination may lead minority group members to identify more with their group to alleviate the adverse effects on well-being of rejection by a dominant group (the rejectionidentification hypothesis; Branscombe et al 1999;Ramos et al 2012). Conversely, a stronger racial identity increases awareness of discrimination (Sellers and Shelton 2003), in line with Thoits's (2013) identityrelevant stressor hypothesis.…”