Outgroup exclusion, identity, and collective action in the Brexit context

Abstract

This paper explored how the source of exclusion (ingroup/outgroup) influences ingroup identification and political engagement. It is well documented that social exclusion has a negative impact on individuals' well-being, but less is known how it affects identification with the ingroup, and subsequent behavior. In two studies, one survey (N = 193) and one experiment (N = 384), we explore how exclusion in the context of Brexit impacts identification with the EU and Remain cause and in turn engagement with a pro-EU group. Participants sympathetic to the Remain-side were recruited and findings suggest that exclusion from the outgroup (Leave-sympathizers) increases ingroup identity measures and engagement with a Pro-EU group. Mediation analysis revealed that increased ingroup identity mediated engagement with the ingroup.

The abortion divide: Exploring the role of exclusion, loss of significance and identity in the radicalization process

“…Given that feelings of exclusion were established in the minority, in line with previous research it was likely that minority individuals would try to establish social connections to fortify their threatened fundamental needs as seen in traditional social exclusion research (Williams, 2007(Williams, , 2009. In line with previous empirical studies that have demonstrated the causal role that exclusion has with engagement in political and radical actions, we argued that those in the minority would be more willing to participate in and endorse radical actions (Pfundmair, 2019;Renström et al, 2020;Knapton et al, 2022). Our findings confirmed this.…”

“…Belonging to a group can restore significance and recent research show that loss of significance increases subsequent extreme group identification (Bäck et al, 2018a;Renström et al, 2020). Recent studies also show that the link between significance loss and radicalization is mediated by identification with the ingroup (Knapton et al, 2022;Milla et al, 2022).…”

“…Given the shifts in identity following an episode of exclusion, the pathway between an episode of exclusion, associated with significance loss, and radical actions will be mediated ingroup identification. Recent research support such a link with an experimental study revealing that those excluded due to their opinion on Brexit, showed increased identification with the EU and in turn increased willingness to join and participate in both normative and radical actions with a Pro-EU group ( Knapton et al, 2022 ). Although there is extensive research exploring the phenomenon of social exclusion, most of the research has considered the exclusion or rejection of single individuals from a group, or at best, the exclusion of one small group by another.…”

“…Many radicalization models highlight social factors that may drive individuals to shift from socially accepted activism to more radical actions ( McCauley and Moskalenko, 2008 ; Kruglanski et al, 2009 , 2014 ; Kruglanski and Fishman, 2009 ; Doosje et al, 2016 ; Kruglanski et al, 2019 , 2022 ). One such factor that has gained momentum in recent years is that of social exclusion and there is an increasing amount of empirical evidence that demonstrates the causal role that exclusion may have as a driver in the radicalization process ( Knapton et al, 2015 , 2022 ; Pfundmair, 2019 ; Renström et al, 2020 ; Pfundmair and Mahr, 2022 ). Being socially excluded leads to a loss of significance, which elicits a quest for significance and ways to restore it.…”

“…Much of the empirical research exploring the effects of exclusion has examined interpersonal exclusion (exclusion perceived due to a personal failing). However, recent research stress the importance of exploring exclusion from a group-level perspective (exclusion due to group membership), and this is particularly pertinent considering much of the radicalization literature deem radicalization a societal, group-based issue ( McCauley and Moskalenko, 2008 ; Doosje et al, 2016 ; Knapton et al, 2022 ). Consequently, this paper aims to bring together traditional exclusion models and explore them at a societal level within a radicalization framework to provide an explanatory pathway of how minority group status, feelings of exclusion and threatened fundamental needs may drive individuals to identify with a radical ingroup and in turn be willing to participate in and endorse radical actions.…”