Rebels with a Cause: Group Identification as a Response to Perceived Discrimination from the Mainstream

TLDR

The study examined whether perceived discrimination increases group identification among people with body piercings. Two experimental studies were conducted with body‑pierced participants to test this hypothesis. Results showed that perceived discrimination led to higher group identification, which mediated the link to attempts at ingroup differentiation and to collective self‑esteem, highlighting its importance for meaning and well‑being in disadvantaged groups.

Abstract

Two studies involving people with body piercings tested the hypothesis that perceived discrimination increases group identification. In Study 1, group identification mediated the positive relationship between perceived discrimination and attempts to differentiate the ingroup from the mainstream. In Study 2, perceived discrimination against people with body piercings was manipulated and was found to increase group identification. Support was found for the prediction that group identification mediates the relationship between perceptions of discrimination and collective self-esteem. Results demonstrate the importance of group identification for both the meaning of group membership and its consequences for well-being among members of disadvantaged groups.