Wait, Who Did You Say We Are? The Effects of Self-Uncertainty and Leadership Rhetoric on Group Identification

<p>Uncertainty identity theory (e.g., Hogg, 2021a) posits that when feelings of self-uncertainty arise, we are motivated to reduce those feelings, and one way we can do this is to identify with a distinctive group that has a clearly defined identity. In these circumstances, we look to the group’s leaders to provide an identity message, and to do so in an unambiguous and affirmational manner. This analysis generates a hypothesis that has attracted partial support (Gaffney et al., 2019), but requires more rigorous testingin conditions of high self-uncertainty, identity-affirming rhetoric used by leaders increases (a) group identification, (b) perceived group entitativity, and (c) leadership support. The current study is a 2 x 2 between-participants design (N = 199) in which two independent variables, identity language and self-uncertainty, were manipulated. Texas residents, recruited via CloudConnect, were randomly assigned to conditions that elicited either high or low self-uncertainty, and were then exposed to a message from a Texas leader that used either affirmational or negational identity rhetoric. Group identification, perceived group entitativity, and support for the leader were measured post-manipulation. No support was found for our hypothesis, though exploratory results revealed insightful significant interactions of political ideology and self-uncertainty used on entitativity and political ideology and language used on leader support.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Psychology, MA

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Master's Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2024

Author dc:creator

• Gardner, Samantha

Contributors dc:contributor

• William D. Crano

• group identification
• group processes
• leadership
• leadership rhetoric
• self-uncertainty
• social identity
• Social Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/863

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarship.claremont.edu:cgu_etd-1884