It’s either you or me! Impact of deviations on social exclusion and leaving

Abstract

When detecting deviations from group norms, observers often respond by attempting to exclude the deviates or by leaving the group. Despite the commonalities between these two impactful responses, they have rarely been addressed simultaneously. Therefore, three experiments investigated how deviant behavior in small groups relates to observers’ intentions to exclude the deviate from the in-group and to leave that group themselves. Exclusion intentions are evoked by severe deviations from core elements of the group norm, mediated by heightened identity subversion (Studies 1–3). Study 3 demonstrated that leaving becomes more likely when perceived situational control is low—here evoked by acceptance of the deviant behavior by other in-group members, suggesting that aggravating conditions must be present for this response. Observing deviations seems to trigger leaving and exclusion intentions, yet they result from two distinct processes. We discuss our results in relation to work on group schism and literature on social exclusion.

Kicking out the trolls – Antecedents of social exclusion intentions in Facebook groups

“…What the present results also imply is that the question whether reactions to a deviate are contingent on how others had reacted earlier currently needs to be answered with "No", which is in line with the findings reported by Ditrich and Sassenberg (2016). We found no effects of whether the deviant behavior was accepted or not accepted by others on identity subversion.…”

“…The effect deviant behavior has on a social group, thus, might not only be contingent on the behavior itself, but also on how other group members react to it. We explore this possibility in the current study, by including one condition in which a deviant behavior is accepted by others next to one in which it is not accepted by others and a control condition without deviant behavior (for a similar argument see Ditrich & Sassenberg, 2016).…”

Phd Thesis: " How outraged reactions to intragroup threat affect group membership preference"

“…For example, when other in-group members are perceived to accept the deviant behaviour, and individuals experience lower levels of control over the situation (Ditrich & Sassenberg, 2016), interest to join another group can arises and individual mobility may be more likely to occur. In such situation, non-deviant group members can engage in a series of defensive mechanism to avoid the negative group identity (Prislin & Christensen, 2005).…”

“…Fritsche & Schubert, 2009) and individual overt leaving as a reaction to norm-deviating members (i.e. Ditrich & Sassenberg, 2016). This literature pointed to derogation and de-categorization along with group devaluation as decisive mechanisms that motivate individual mobility (Marques, Abrams, Paez, & Hogg, 2001;Marques, Abrams, & Serôdio, 2001).…”

“…Interestingly, a study by Ditrich and Sassenberg (2016) found that feelings of contempt were linked to a desire to avoid and withdraw from a situation when members of a minority group experienced very low levels of control and over outcomes (Fennis and Aarts, 2012;Guinote et al, 2006;Wright et al, 1990). These lower levels of control allow individuals to have a more negative view about the other (Fisher & Roseman, 2007).…”