Implicit normativity in intergroup comparisons : The cultural reproduction of status inequalities via the comparative framing of differences
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This dissertation is concerned with the consequences of implicit normativity in intergroup comparisons. Based on previous research on the spontaneous framing of intergroup differences (e.g., Miller et al., 1991; Pratto et al., 2007) and on cultural psychological approaches focusing on the mutual constitution of cultural practices and psychological processes (Kitayama et al., 1997; Shweder, 1995), I introduce a model that conceptualizes determinants and consequences of implicit normativity in intergroup comparisons: the CURSICO(Cultural Reproduction of Status Inequalities via Comparative Framing)-Model. This model posits that the framing of intergroup comparisons on the one hand reflects culturally shared assumptions about social groups and their status, and on the other hand communicates these assumptions to others, thereby facilitating the maintenance and permanent cultural reproduction of status differences. Chapter 1 introduces the CURSICO-Model and deduces two main hypotheses from it. The first main hypothesis states that a group is perceived as higher in status and more powerful when it is linguistically positioned as the norm in a comparison than when it is the subject of comparison. Additional predictions based on this first hypothesis concern the attribution of stereotypical traits, the perceived legitimacy of status differences, and the importance of the comparative context. The second main hypothesis states that the direction of comparison influences group members’ collective self-esteem and two additional hypotheses specify how group status should moderate this influence. Four studies presented in Chapter 2 tested the first main hypothesis and the respective additional predictions. Participants always read a text comparing two groups and the direction of comparison systematically varied between experimental conditions. The first three studies focused on comparisons between groups of a priori similar status (e.g., fictitious groups), while Study 4 examined effects of the comparative framing of gender differences. The data generally confirmed the hypotheses: Participants consistently perceived a group as higher in status and more powerful when it had been the implicit norm rather than the subject of comparison. In addition, norm groups were perceived as more agentic (e.g., assertive, independent) and as somewhat less communal (e.g., friendly, helpful, cf. Abele & Wojciszke, 2007) than the respective comparison groups. Study 4 further showed that the direction of comparison can influence as how legitimate group-based status differences are perceived and that the comparative context also plays an important role. Specifically, the predicted effects emerged for the framing of gender differences in a normatively male context (leadership), but not in a more gender neutral context (leisure time). Chapter 3 describes two experimental studies that tested the second main hypothesis by varying whether singles were compared to people in a relationship or whether people in a relationship were compared to singles. In both studies, participants who were single indicated lower collective self-esteem when singles were compared to the implicit norm of coupled people rather than vice versa – as had been predicted. Other than expected, coupled participants’ collective self-esteem was unaffected by the comparative framing. The fourth chapter integrates the findings of all six empirical studies and discusses their theoretical and practical implications. Overall, the results show that the framing of intergroup comparisons affects the perception of compared groups and the self-experience of group members in predictable ways. This highlights the usefulness of the CURSICO-Model for conceptualizing the effects of comparative framing in intergroup contexts as well as for a better understanding of culturally grounded communication processes in general. In addition, the findings have important practical implications for social scientific practice, where the comparison of different social groups is often a key element.
Author: Susanne Bruckmüller
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3133144952