Who Says We Are Bad People? The Impact of Criticism Source and Attributional Content on Responses to Group-Based Criticism

Abstract

Telephone: +44 (0)1392 725527 Citation: Rabinovich, A., Morton, T.A. (2010). Who says we are bad people? the impact of criticism source and attributional content on responses to group-based criticism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 4(36), 524-536. Attributions and Group-Based Criticism 2 AbstractWe investigated the interplay between the source of criticism and the attributional content of their message on behavioral responses to group-based criticism. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that outgroup critics were more effective when their criticism included internal attributions (to the ingroup's character) rather than external attributions (the ingroup's circumstances), whereas there was no effect of attributional content for ingroup critics (a significant Source x Content interaction).Study 3 explored the role of audiences in responses to outgroup criticism. The results indicated that the positive effects of internal versus external attributions were only evident when an outgroup audience was witness to participants' responses.Furthermore these effects were mediated through concerns about the ingroup's image.

Sizing fish and ponds: The joint effects of individual- and group-based feedback

“…Criticism from inside one's group tends to be received more warmly than criticism from outsiders (see Hornsey, 2005). In addition, the attributions implied in Individual-and Group-Based Feedback 6 such messages affect people's responses, often in complex ways that are guided by identity concerns (Rabinovich & Morton, 2010). While previous work has considered the effects of group-level feedback on willingness to change individual behavior and support collective reform, the role of individual performance in this relationship has not been considered.…”

Shooting the messenger: Outsiders critical of your group are rejected regardless of argument quality

“…One consequence of this is that people agree with criticisms much less when the criticism comes from outside the group than when the same comments are made by an insider (Hiew & Hornsey, ; Hornsey & Imani, ; Rabinovich & Morton, ; Sutton, Elder, & Douglas, ), a phenomenon labelled the intergroup sensitivity effect (ISE, Hornsey, Oppes, & Svensson, ). This effect is mediated by perceptions of whether the critic has the best interests of the group at heart: Ingroup critics are accorded more constructive motives than outgroup critics, and this attributional bias mediates the ISE (Hornsey & Imani, ; but see Sutton, Douglas, Elder, & Tarrant, ; for a counterpoint).…”

Paradoxes of praise: Identity‐inconsistent praise results in praise‐inconsistent responses

“…First, whether, following exposure to (non‐)verifying feedback, group members demonstrate not only change in their attitudes to feedback providers but also shifts in willingness to express (un)verified group identity and, thereby, to manage group image. Previous research on responses to group‐based criticism suggests that group members can be responsive to opportunities for adjusting their group image through changing their individual responses (Rabinovich & Morton, , ). While increased motivation to express (unacknowledged) identity has been demonstrated in response to non‐verifying feedback at an individual level (Swann & Hill, ; Swann & Read, ), it remains to be seen whether similar processes occur in the context of group‐based feedback.…”