Having a lot of a good thing: Multiple important group memberships as a source of self-esteem

  • Jolanda Jetten
  • , Nyla R. Branscombe
  • , S. Alexander Haslam
  • , Catherine Haslam
  • , Tegan Cruwys
  • , Janelle M. Jones
  • , Lijuan Cui
  • , Genevieve Dingle
  • , James Liu
  • , Sean Murphy
  • , Anh Thai
  • , Zoe Walter
  • , Airong Zhang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

246 Scopus citations

Abstract

Membership in important social groups can promote a positive identity. We propose and test an identity resource model in which personal self-esteem is boosted by membership in additional important social groups. Belonging to multiple important group memberships predicts personal self-esteem in children (Study 1a), older adults (Study 1b), and former residents of a homeless shelter (Study 1c). Study 2 shows that the effects of multiple important group memberships on personal self-esteem are not reducible to number of interpersonal ties. Studies 3a and 3b provide longitudinal evidence that multiple important group memberships predict personal self-esteem over time. Studies 4 and 5 show that collective self-esteem mediates this effect, suggesting that membership in multiple important groups boosts personal self-esteem because people take pride in, and derive meaning from, important group memberships. Discussion focuses on when and why important group memberships act as a social resource that fuels personal self-esteem.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0124609
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume10
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 2015

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