Striving for group agency: threat to personal control increases the attractiveness of agentic groups

Abstract

When their sense of personal control is threatened people try to restore perceived control through the social self. We propose that it is the perceived agency of ingroups that provides the self with a sense of control. In three experiments, we for the first time tested the hypothesis that threat to personal control increases the attractiveness of being part or joining those groups that are perceived as coherent entities engaging in coordinated group goal pursuit (agentic groups) but not of those groups whose agency is perceived to be low. Consistent with this hypothesis we found in Study 1 (N = 93) that threat to personal control increased ingroup identification only with task groups, but not with less agentic types of ingroups that were made salient simultaneously. Furthermore, personal control threat increased a sense of collective control and support within the task group, mediated through task-group identification (indirect effects). Turning to groups people are not (yet) part of, Study 2 (N = 47) showed that personal control threat increased relative attractiveness ratings of small groups as possible future ingroups only when the relative agency of small groups was perceived to be high. Perceived group homogeneity or social power did not moderate the effect. Study 3 (N = 78) replicated the moderating role of perceived group agency for attractiveness ratings of entitative groups, whereas perceived group status did not moderate the effect. These findings extend previous research on group-based control, showing that perceived agency accounts for group-based responses to threatened control.

Between the Lines of Us and Them: Identity Threat, Anxious Uncertainty, and Reactive In-Group Affirmation: How Can Antisocial Outcomes be Prevented?

“…Defi ning the self in terms of "we" (instead of "I") may help to maintain the perception that the self has control, because, heuristically, groups are perceived as homogeneous agents that exert control over their environment. In fact, Stollberg et al ( 2015 ) found that, when reminded of lacking personal control, people were more prone to identify with agentic (vs. non-agentic) groups. In addition to mere identifi cation, people have been shown to cope with threatened personal control by engaging in collective behaviour, indicated by increased in-group bias (Fritsche, Jonas, & Fankhanel, 2008 ;Greenaway, Louis, Hornsey, & Jones, 2014 ), conformity with in-group norms (Stollberg, Fritsche, & Jonas, submitted ), and pursuit of in-group goals .…”

“…to mediate the effects from lacked personal control on group identification. Additionally, Stollberg et al ( 2015 ) found that people who were reminded of lacking personal control increased their identifi cation with agentic in-groups, which, in turn, elevated their perception of collective agency. Aside from these fi ndings, McGregor, Haji, and Kang ( 2008 ) have shown that refl ecting on meaningful group membership prior to a threat can buffer against anxious uncertainty and reactive ingroup favouritism.…”

“…As group members share common assumptions about how to behave and what to strive for, collective norms and worldviews help individuals navigate through life in accordance with others. Further extending the list of social identity motives, the model of group-based control ) suggests people's desire to perceive the world as controllable through their autonomous self (Stollberg, Fritsche, & Baecker, 2015 ) to determine social identity construction. Specifi cally, on a behavioural level, groups serve people's need for control as they provide a sense of collective agency.…”

Restricted reproductive rights and risky sexual behaviour: How political disenfranchisement relates to women’s sense of control, well-being and sexual health

“…Stollberg, Fritsche and Bäcker (2015) argue that shared group memberships can satisfy the human need for control, a recognised human motive (Fritsche et al, 2013). Stollberg et al (2015) argue that when personal control is threatened, group-based control can bolster people's sense of general control.…”

“…Stollberg, Fritsche and Bäcker (2015) argue that shared group memberships can satisfy the human need for control, a recognised human motive (Fritsche et al, 2013). Stollberg et al (2015) argue that when personal control is threatened, group-based control can bolster people's sense of general control. As such, we suggest that future research include a measure of collective efficacy related to the group 'women' or perhaps 'feminists', to see how this fits with disenfranchisement and the other aspects of control included in the present study.…”