Being nice isn’t enough: Prosocial orientation and perceptions of self-uniqueness jointly promote outgroup reparation

Abstract

Using a real-life case of intergroup victimization (i.e., victimization of migrant workers in Korea), we tested our hypothesis that positive attitudes toward compensating a victimized outgroup and intention to participate in ingroup corrective actions would be facilitated when a prosocial orientation is combined with high levels of perceived self-uniqueness. In Study 1, we measured participants’ social value orientation and their self-attributed need for uniqueness as our independent variables ( N = 249) and found a predicted interaction effect, such that prosocials with high levels of perceived self-uniqueness were more likely to support outgroup compensation and more willing to engage in ingroup corrective actions than were prosocials with low levels of self-uniqueness. In contrast, for proselfs neither compensation nor intention to participate in ingroup correction varied as a function of self-uniqueness. We replicated these findings in Study 2 ( N = 106), in which we measured participants’ trait agreeableness as an index of prosocial orientation and manipulated self-uniqueness via priming. Implications of our findings for research on outgroup reparation and future directions are discussed.

Self‐uniquenessincreases women's willingness to participate in collective action for gender justice, but not support for sex quotas

“…Lantian et al, 2017). Choi and Euh (2019) showed that the activation of self-uniqueness can promote outgroup reparation among members of the advantaged group when combined with a prosocial orientation. The current research reinforces the evidence that the need to be unique can have prosocial consequences, in this case, by motivating collective action for equality among members of the disadvantaged ingroup.…”

“…Lantian et al, 2017; Mok & Morris, 2009). For instance, Choi and Euh (2019) primed self‐uniqueness and then measured support for outgroup compensation and willingness to engage in ingroup corrective actions. The authors reasoned that self‐uniqueness might help members of the perpetrator group to distance themselves from the normative, defensive position of the dominant ingroup and use their independence in favour of the victimized outgroup.…”

Host country national support to expatriates: a motivated information processing perspective

“…Previous research has treated the Big five personality of agreeableness as a dispositional proxy for pro-social motivation (e.g. Bechtoldt et al , 2010; Choi and Euh, 2019). Participants were given the following eight adjectives: cold, cooperative, harsh, kind, rude, sympathetic, warm and unsympathetic (Palmer and Loveland, 2004; Saucier, 1994).…”

“…However, previous research has identified the moderating variables that reinforce or inhibit the effect of pro-social motivation on interpersonal behavior (e.g. power, Chen et al , 2001; the need for uniqueness, Choi and Euh, 2019). These findings suggest that the positive effect of pro-social motivation on HCNs’ support to expatriates may be qualified by other variables.…”

Crossing back over the Rubicon: Collectivistic value orientation and independent self-concept jointly promote effective goal revision in task groups

“…This has sometimes caused confusion in the literature (see Cross et al, 2011) and misspecification of the effects associated with the two variables (see Wagner, 2002). However, a growing body of research shows that, on the individual level, the two constructs are conceptually distinct (see Brewer & Chen, 2007; Kağitçibaşi, 2005; Wagner, 2002), and that in a group context, the perception of self as an independent (vs. interdependent) entity can be paired with a belief in the priority of either the group’s or one’s own personal goals (Bechtoldt et al, 2012; Choi et al, 2018; Choi & Euh, 2018; Choi et al, 2019; Choi & Yoon, 2018). In this regard, our data lend further support for the synergy model that stipulates a joint positive effect that results from a combination of independence in self-concept and collectivistic values in collaborative work settings.…”