Naomi Ellemers | Utrecht University (original) (raw)

Papers by Naomi Ellemers

In dit artikel wordt onderscheid gemaakt tussen theorie van de psychologie en theoretische psycho... more In dit artikel wordt onderscheid gemaakt tussen theorie
van de psychologie en theoretische psychologie.
Theoretische psychologie wordt gekarakteriseerd naar
haar werkwij:en en methoden. De plaats en het doel van
de theoretische psychologie worden besproken. Naar aanleiding van omschrijvingen van 'theorie' en water
theoretisch is aan wetenschappelijke uitspraken, wordt
verduidelijkt hoe theorie en experiment, en theorie en
feit zich verhouden. Marcel van den Hout en Naomi ellemers reageren

British Journal of Social Psychology, Jan 1, 2012

The results of three experiments showed that regulatory focus influences the way in which the imp... more The results of three experiments showed that regulatory focus influences the way in which the importance and likelihood of social change affect individuals’ commitment to
collective action. In Studies 1 (N=82) and 2 (N=153), the strength of participants’ chronic regulatory focus was measured. In Study 3 (N=52), promotion or prevention
focus was experimentally induced. The results showed that for individuals under promotion focus, commitment to collective action depended on the perceived likelihood
that through this action important social change would be achieved. Individuals under prevention focus were willing to commit to collective action when they attached high importance to its goal, regardless of the extent to which they believed that attainment of this goal was likely. Implications of these results for work on regulatory focus and collective action are discussed.

British Journal of Social Psychology, Jan 1, 2011

In two studies, we investigate the effect of individuals’ promotion and prevention focus on engag... more In two studies, we investigate the effect of individuals’ promotion and prevention focus on engagement in collective action. We show that responding to group-based disadvantage out of a sense of moral conviction motivates prevention-oriented– but not promotion
oriented– individuals to engage in collective action. Furthermore, holding such strong moral convictions about the fair treatment of their group causes the prevention-oriented
to disregard societal rules against hostile forms of collective action (i.e., forms of action that are aimed at harming the interests of those held responsible for the group’s
disadvantage). Study 1 showed that prevention-oriented individuals, but not promotion oriented individuals, with a strong moral conviction about the fair treatment of their
group are willing to support both hostile and benevolent forms of collective action. Study 2 replicated this effect and showed that for prevention-oriented individuals but
not for promotion-oriented individuals, holding a strong moral conviction about the fair treatment of the group overrides moral objections to hostile forms of collective action
in the decision to support these forms of action.

Journal of Social Issues, Jan 1, 2010

Presented is our perspective on the role of social identity in the motivation and performance of ... more Presented is our perspective on the role of social identity in the motivation and performance of members of stigmatized groups (e.g., ethnic minorities, women in traditionally male-dominated fields). We discuss how stigmatized group members pursuing upward mobility face significant threats in out-group environments through the numerical dominance of the higher status out-group, the negative views held by the out-group of the low-status group, and the emphasis in outgroup settings on domains on which the stigmatized group is outperformed. In these settings, emphasis on positive in-group domains protects social identity, and enhances motivation and performance on status-relevant domains. Moreover, upwardly mobile low-status group members show important benefits of social identity through in-group support for their upward mobility. As such, social identities can be viewed not as problematic factors needing to be minimalized, but can be drawn on to increase positive societal outcomes and improve low-status group status.

Psychological Science, Jan 1, 2011

Queen beesare senior women in male-dominated organizations who have achieved success by emphasizi... more Queen beesare senior women in male-dominated organizations who have achieved success by emphasizing how they differ from other women. Although the behavior of queen bees tends to be seen as contributing to gender disparities in career outcomes, we argue that queen-bee behavior is actually a result of the gender bias and social identity threat that produce gender disparities in career outcomes. In the experiment reported here, we asked separate groups of senior policewomen to recall the presence or absence of gender bias during their careers, and we measured queen-bee responses (i.e., masculine self-descriptions, in-group distancing, and denying of discrimination). Such gender-bias priming increased queen-bee responses among policewomen with low gender identification, but policewomen with high gender identification responded with increased motivation to improve opportunities for other women. These results suggest that gender-biased work environments shape
women’s behavior by stimulating women with low gender identification to dissociate with other women and to display queen bee responses as a way to achieve individual mobility.

For members of stigmatized groups, being confronted with highstatus outgroup members threatens so... more For members of stigmatized groups, being confronted with highstatus outgroup members threatens social identity and undermines performance on status-relevant dimensions. Two experiments examined whether the negative effects of outgroup contexts are alleviated when value is expressed for a dimension on which the stigmatized ingroup excels. Specifically, the authors assessed whether ingroup versus outgroup context and contextual value for ingroup dimensions affects group members’ reactions to failure on status-relevant dimensions and subsequent performance. Experiment 1 showed that in comparison to ingroup contexts, outgroup contexts induce stigmatized group members to protect social identity and to feel more agitated following negative performance feedback. Experiment 2 showed that when others in the context emphasize the importance of a dimension on which the ingroup excels, the negative effects of outgroup contexts are alleviated, stigmatized group members feel more cheerful concerning an upcoming task, and task performance is characterized by a focus on success.

Motivation of stigmatized group members to perform on status-relevant ‘outgroup’ dimensions can b... more Motivation of stigmatized group members to perform on status-relevant ‘outgroup’ dimensions can be impaired after ingroup failure. Three experiments examined whether social creativity by valuing ingroup dimensions (dimensions on which an ingroup outperforms an outgroup) can increase motivation and performance on outgroup dimensions. It was hypothesized that under high social identity threat, motivation on the outgroup dimension would benefit from valuing an ingroup dimension. Experiments 1 and 2 show that when social identity threat is increased, low status group members who personally value ingroup dimensions show higher motivation to perform on the outgroup dimension. Experiment 3 shows that the induction of high contextual value of both ingroup and outgroup dimensions improves low status group members' well-being and motivated performance on the outgroup dimension. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Experiencing social identity threat can lead members of stigmatized groups to protect their self-... more Experiencing social identity threat can lead members of stigmatized groups to protect their self-regard by withdrawing from domains that are associated with higher status groups. Four experiments examined how providing identity affirmation in alternative domains affects performance motivation in status-defining domains among stigmatized group members. Two forms of identity affirmation were distinguished: self-affirmation, which enhances personal identity, and group affirmation, which enhances social identity. The results showed that although self- and group affirmation both induce high performance motivation, they do so in different ways. Whereas self-affirmation induces a focus on the personal self, group affirmation induces a focus on the social self (Study 1). Accordingly, group affirmation elicited high performance motivation among highly identified group members (Studies 1 and 2) by inducing challenge (Study 2) and protected interest in group-serving behaviors that improve collective status (Studies 3 and 4). By contrast, low identifiers were challenged and motivated to perform well only after self-affirmation (Studies 1 and 2) and reported an even stronger inclination to work for themselves at the expense of the group when offered group affirmation (Studies 3 and 4). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Journal of Social Issues, Jan 1, 2015

Previous research revealed that one way by which members of minority groups resist disadvantage i... more Previous research revealed that one way by which members of minority groups resist disadvantage is through strategic "self-group distancing" by evaluating this group negatively, describing themselves according to outgroup stereotypes and supporting the status hierarchy, hereby limiting societal change. Drawing upon recent work on the Queen Bee phenomenon among women at work, we explain selfgroup distancing as a coping response of low identified minority employees who experience social identity threat. Whereas queen bee behavior is often discussed as a response typical for women, new experimental data are presented revealing similar responses among ethnic minority employees. In parallel to queen bees, low identified Hindustanis reported less positive ingroup affect and presented themselves as more stereotypically Dutch when reminded of ethnic bias-but not in a control condition. This suggests that the Queen Bee phenomenon exemplifies a more generic individual mobility response to group disadvantage experienced by minority groups at work.

British Journal of Social Psychology, 2009

The stereotype content model (SCM) proposes potentially universal principles of societal stereoty... more The stereotype content model (SCM) proposes potentially universal principles of societal stereotypes and their relation to social structure. Here, the SCM reveals theoretically grounded, cross-cultural, cross-groups similarities and one difference across 10 non-US nations. Seven European (individualist) and three East Asian (collectivist) nations (N ¼ 1; 028) support three hypothesized cross-cultural similarities: (a) perceived warmth and competence reliably differentiate societal group stereotypes; (b) many out-groups receive ambivalent stereotypes (high on one dimension; low on the other); and (c) high status groups stereotypically are competent, whereas competitive groups stereotypically lack warmth. Data uncover one consequential cross-cultural difference: (d) the more collectivist cultures do not locate reference groups (in-groups and societal prototype groups) in the most positive cluster (high-competence/high-warmth), unlike individualist cultures. This demonstrates out-group derogation without obvious reference-group favouritism. The SCM can serve as a pancultural tool for predicting group stereotypes from structural relations with other groups in society, and comparing across societies.

Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2012

Applying what we know about group-based identities and concerns allows us to improve our understa... more Applying what we know about group-based identities and concerns allows us to improve our understanding of the ways in which morality is relevant to social judgments of right and wrong. We distinguish between three different social functions of moral standards and moral judgments. The identity defining function of morality indicates where people want to belong, and how they are regarded by others. The group dynamic function indicates consensual definitions of what is right and wrong that guide individual behavioral choices. The intergroup relations function of group morality, speaks to the way people tend to communicate with and behave towards members of other groups that have different moral standards.

Possessing social power is beneficial for a wide range of physical and psychological outcomes. In... more Possessing social power is beneficial for a wide range of physical and psychological outcomes. In the current research we test the hypothesis that the mere activation of high social power elicits an efficient cardiovascular pattern (challenge) while the activation of low social power elicits an inefficient cardiovascular pattern (threat; Blascovich, 2008a, b). Results from two experiments (one using power priming and one involving role playing) provide evidence for this hypothesis and are discussed in terms of the embodiment of power, the power-approach relationship, and further implications for the relation between power and health.

Previous research has demonstrated that stereotype threat induces a prevention focus and impairs ... more Previous research has demonstrated that stereotype threat induces a prevention focus and impairs central executive functions. The present research examines how these 2 consequences of stereotype threat are related. The authors argue that the prevention focus is responsible for the effects of stereotype threat on executive functions and cognitive performance. However, because the prevention focus is adapted to deal with threatening situations, the authors propose that it also leads to some beneficial responses to stereotype threat. Specifically, because stereotype threat signals a high risk of failure, a prevention focus initiates immediate recruitment of cognitive control resources. The authors further argue that this response initially facilitates cognitive performance but that the additional cognitive demands associated with working under threat lead to cognitive depletion over time. Study 1 demonstrates that stereotype threat (vs. control) facilitates immediate cognitive control capacity during a stereotype-relevant task. Study 2 experimentally demonstrates the process by showing that stereotype threat (vs. control) facilitates cognitive control as a default, as well as when a prevention focus has been experimentally induced, but not when a promotion focus has been induced. Study 3 shows that stereotype threat facilitates initial math performance under a prevention focus, whereas no effect is found under a promotion focus. Consistent with previous research, however, stereotype threat impaired math performance over time under a prevention focus, but not under a promotion focus. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 2014

It is generally assumed that being accepted by others should have universally positive effects. T... more It is generally assumed that being accepted by others should have universally positive effects. The present research questions this assumption and shows that acceptance can sometimes arouse aggressive thoughts and feelings when people have a low desire to belong to the accepting group. In Study 1 (N = 61), international students who had low, compared to high, desire for inclusion in a host society behaved more aggressively when informed that the host society accepted them. Study 2 (N = 57) replicated this finding on attributions of aggression to members of the host society. In Study 3 (N = 76) individuals accepted into a workgroup showed more implicit aggressive cognitions when they did not desire inclusion compared to individuals who desired inclusion. The findings reveal a potential limit to the positive effects of acceptance and highlight the importance of considering group members' motives for inclusion when investigating the effects of group acceptance.

Personality and Social Psychology Review, 2013

Previous theory and research primarily address marginal group members on the path to achieve core... more Previous theory and research primarily address marginal group members on the path to achieve core membership status. The authors argue that these only represent one form of marginality and that there are many other ways to be marginal within the group. The authors develop a dynamic model in which marginality is conceptualized as resulting from group and individual negotiation about inclusion (the Marginality as Resulting From Group and Individual Negotiation About Inclusion [MARGINI] model), and where individual and group inclusion goals can converge (resulting in relatively stable forms of marginality) or diverge (resulting in less stable forms of marginality). When the marginal position is unstable, individuals can either be motivated to move toward or move further away from the group, and such changing inclusion goals are associated with different emotions and behaviors. The authors argue that one needs to understand the interplay between individual and group inclusion goals to predict and explain the full complexity and diversity of the behavior of marginal group members.

Zn this chapter we consider how perceptions of entitativity and group distinctiveness proxdde a l... more Zn this chapter we consider how perceptions of entitativity and group distinctiveness proxdde a link between social perceivers and the social world af intergroup relations. Social perceivers are interested agents who are part of the social field they survey, and not just ...

European Journal of Social Psychology, 1991

This paper experimentally examines the effects of passing (versus revealing) a contextually deval... more This paper experimentally examines the effects of passing (versus revealing) a contextually devalued identity on performance-related self-confidence. An experimental scenario was developed on the basis of the results of a pilot study. Studies 1 and 2 (total N ¼ 255) experimentally manipulate passing versus revealing a contextually devalued identity, to an ingroup or an outgroup partner. The results show that, although passing makes participants believe that their partner has more positive expectations of them, it also undermines performance-related self-confidence. Moreover, the results show that negative self-directed affect (i.e., guilt and shame) mediated the negative effect of passing on performancerelated self-confidence.