Severity of initiation revisited: Does severity of initiation increase attractiveness in real groups?

Abstract

In the Netherlands, two longitudinal fieldstudies (N=202 and N=46) were conducted on the relationship between severity of initiation and group attractiveness. Study 1 represents a severe initiation, Study 2 a more mild one. In these two different field conditions' we aimed to test the dissonance interpretation of the effects of a severe initiation (Aronson & Mills, 1959) and a positive correlation between severity of treatment of the initiated novices and group attractiveness was expected (hypothesis 1). Further, we expected that feelings of frustration and anger would mediate this relationship (hypothesis 2). On the other hand, our affiliation±attraction hypothesis either predicted a positive correlation between companionship (Rook, 1987) and group attractiveness, irrespective of severity (hypothesis 3), or that companionship would mediate the severity±attraction relationship (hypothesis 4). In both studies, LISREL path analyses only supported hypothesis 3. Contrary to hypothesis 1, severity experienced during the early stages of the initiation correlated with feelings of frustration and loneliness (Study 1), or depressive mood (Study 2). These feelings lasted throughout the initiation and lowered the liking for the group. Results are discussed in terms of newcomers' decisions to leave or to join the group, determined by (i) the exchange and fate control relationship between the leadership and the newcomers; (ii) the severe treatment of newcomers as a selection device and (iii)

The role of costly commitment signals in assorting cooperators during intergroup conflict

“…While we do not deny that these practices may have such effects, the results of Study 4 suggest that these effects are probably quite limited or not driven by signals with unproductive costs. This interpretation is in line with recent findings from a study of university fraternities (Cimino & Thomas, 2022) that failed to show a reliable link between the severity of hazing practices and the following commitment to other hazees or the fraternity chapter (see also Lodewijkx & Syroit, 1997;Shaver et al, 2018).…”

The role of costly commitment signals in assorting cooperators during intergroup conflict

“…While we do not deny that these practices may have such effects, the results of Study 3 suggest that these effects are probably quite limited or not driven by the costly signals themselves. This interpretation is in line with recent findings from a study of university fraternities (Cimino & Thomas, 2022) that failed to show a reliable link between the severity of hazing practices and the following commitment to other hazees or the fraternity chapter (see also Lodewijkx & Syroit, 1997;Shaver et al, 2018).…”

Withdraw or affiliate? The role of humiliation during initiation rituals

“…The current research is in line with earlier findings (e.g., Lodewijkx & Syroit, 1997, 2001) and shows that perceived severity of an initiation leads to less instead of more affiliation. We have tested one explanation of these negative effects of initiations, namely experienced humiliation and its related action tendencies, rather than general negative affect.…”