One world in diversity – A social-psychological intervention to foster international collective action intention

Abstract

Although effective interventions to increase international collective action for human rights are highly desirable, the validation of theory-based interventions and their transfer to this practical field is still scarce. We investigated whether collective action intention can be improved by using a diversity intervention technique rooted in social psychology. The intervention builds on the ingroup projection model, postulating that negative intergroup relations are based on the perception of ingroups as more typical of a common superordinate group than outgroups (i.e., relative prototypicality). Thereby, the (quasi-)experimental study tested the ingroup projection model's theoretical assumptions in the context of Model United Nations (MUN) conferences. We hypothesized that the diversity intervention leads to a higher perceived diversity within the superordinate group (the United Nations, UN) as well as identification with the superordinate group (UN). Furthermore, we hypothesized an indirect effect of the intervention on collective action intention mediated by perception of diversity of, and identification with, the superordinate group. In comparison to the control group (n = 45), those participants who received the diversity workshop intervention (n = 55) perceived less relative prototypicality and more diversity of the UN. In addition, we provide evidence of a serial mediation: Compared to the control group, the diversity workshop group perceived the UN as relatively more diverse, facilitating identification with the UN. In turn, this was associated with a stronger intention to act collectively. This study shows the importance of including psychological theories in the field of international relations.Keywords: prototypicality, collective action, Model United Nations, diversity training, psychological intervention, ingroup projection, global issues, international relations, human rights ZusammenfassungObwohl effektive Interventionen zur Förderung internationalen kollektiven Handelns dringend notwendig scheinen, ist die Validierung theoriebasierter Interventionen und deren Transfer in die Praxis selten. Folglich haben wir untersucht, ob kollektives Handeln durch eine Diversity-Intervention erhöht werden kann. Die Intervention basiert auf dem Eigengruppenprojektionsmodell, das die Annahme beinhaltet, dass Personen ihre Eigengruppe als typischer für eine gemeinsame übergeordnete Gruppe ansehen als Fremdgruppen, was als relative Prototypikalität bezeichnet wird. Die vorliegende (quasi-)experimentelle Studie testet die Annahmen des Eigengruppenprojektionsmodells im Kontext von Model-United-Nations-Simulationen (MUN). Wir nahmen an, dass die Diversity-Intervention zu einer erhöhten Vielfaltswahrnehmung der UN sowie zu einer erhöhten Identifikation mit der UN führt. Außerdem nahmen wir an, dass ein indirekter Effekt auf kollektives Handeln über Vielfaltswahrnehmung und Identifikation mit der UN besteht. Im Vergleich zu einer Kontrollgruppe (n = 45) wiesen die Teilnehmenden des Diversity-Trainings (n = 55) ein...

Ingroup Projection in American Politics: An Obstacle to Bipartisanship

“…Experimental research has shown a causal link between ingroup perceptions and mental representations of superordinate groups on ingroup projection (Bianchi et al, 2010;Machunsky & Meiser, 2014), but few experiments have examined the link between ingroup projection and intergroup bias. Diversifying perceptions of superordinate group categories does appear to reduce outcomes associated with intergroup bias (Ehrke et al, 2014;Jung et al, 2018;Knab & Steffens, 2018;Mummendey & Wenzel, 1999;Wenzel et al, 2016). However, diversifying perceptions of the superordinate group can also backfire and increase bias due to identity threats (Steffens et al, 2017).…”

Breaking the link between ingroup projection and outgroup derogation: Encouraging civility in disagreements about social responsibility.

“…In line with the literature on identity threat, when the position of one’s group within the superordinate category is challenged, projection can take the form of a defensive action (Rosa & Waldzus, 2012). More recently, even some of the classic suggestions for improving intergroup attitudes from the social identity and ingroup projection literature, such as superordinate group complexity (Knab & Steffens, 2018), have been found to induce threat for certain groups under certain conditions (Steffens et al, 2017). Furthermore, threats to the stability of either the subordinate or superordinate identity appear to evoke attempts to restore stability on various levels of identity, thereby illustrating the interconnections between subordinate and superordinate identities (Jung et el., 2018).…”