Highlighting strengths in response to discrimination: Developing and testing an allyship positive psychology intervention

Abstract

Allyship is gaining popularity as a tool to combat discrimination. We developed and tested a novel allyship positive psychology intervention (PPI). Importantly, we examined observers’ perceptions of intervention effectiveness given that observers represent the majority in many settings. Study 1 (N = 787) tested an intervention that highlighted a female employee’s identity-related strengths following a discrimination episode. Compared to communicating an organization’s diversity policy or confronting the transgressor, highlighting the target’s identity-related strengths was rated higher in terms of inclusion and vitality engendered in the target. Mediation analyses indicated that highlighting strengths was perceived as boosting the target’s vitality by signaling the ally’s sincerity and prompting inclusion. In Study 2 (N = 802), amongst various types of identity-related strengths, highlighting the target’s psychological and intellectual capital was as effective as highlighting all types of identity-related strengths combined, due to perceived sincerity. Thus, this research offers a quick, actionable and non-confrontational allyship PPI.

Should I “check my emotions at the door” or express how I feel? Role of emotion regulation versus expression of male leaders speaking out against sexism in the workplace

“…We, therefore, caution against wanton unleashing of anger and recommend that leaders have an appropriately measured emotional response. Moreover, if organizational culture is already prone to extreme calls for punishment (e.g., toxic culture, low psychological safety), we suggest that leaders of such organizations look to alternative allyship strategies that are impactful for victims and for achieving the goals of equity and inclusion, yet circumvent the negative side effects of anger‐based confrontations (for a range of nonconfrontational allyship strategies, see Warren & Bordoloi, 2021; Warren, Sekhon, & Waldrop, 2022).…”

Moving from problems to solutions: A review of gender equality interventions at work using an ecological systems approach

“…Future research may explore how these perspectives should be communicated/promoted, their relative efficacy, and the role of conditional factors such as stakeholders and change agent characteristics (status, beliefs, experiences, etc.) in successfully creating urgency for progress toward gender equality (e.g., Warren et al, 2022).…”

How can I lead social change when I feel like a fake? Exploring the impostor phenomenon among social justice allies in the workplace

“…Those who have been criticized for past allyship actions (e.g., see Warren, Sekhon, et al, 2022;Warren, Sekhon, & Bock, 2022; wherein the same allyship action was perceived as doing too much by some observers and too little by others) might become anxious and over-prepare or procrastinate when stepping up as allies again, thereby falling into the impostorism cycle.…”

“…Because feelings of impostorism generate stress, fear, and avoidance behaviors (Kumar & Jagacinski, 2006), impostorism is associated with anxiety and depression (see review Barrow, 2018;also, Cokley et al, 2022). Allyship is a high-risk context, wherein not only may observers question the motives and behaviors of allies (Warren, Sekhon, & Bock, 2022) but the recipients of allyship may also not perceive allies as being authentic, effective (Warren, Sekhon, & Waldrop, 2022) or as allies at all . Thus, stress, fear and avoidance are likely to be heightened for those who experience impostorism, despite their competence as allies.…”

“…We utilized LPA to analyze data from two large representative samples of employed adults from Michigan and Canada to test preregistered hypotheses (https://osf.io/2zmu4) that propose mental health and work functioning differences between Competent Ally Impostors and Confident Allies. Feelings of impostorism are generally associated with stress, fear, and avoidance behaviors (Kumar & Jagacinski, 2006) that may be particularly strong given the social pressure on allies to be perfect and to constantly prove their authenticity and motivational purity (Warren, Sekhon, & Bock, 2022;Warren, Sekhon & Waldrop, 2022). The Employee Mental Health Hypothesis therefore holds that Competent Ally Impostors will score higher on depressive symptoms and anxiety compared to Confident Allies.…”