When psychological contract is violated: Revisiting the Rejection-Disidentification Model of immigrant integration

Abstract

In this study, we investigated how perceived ethnic discrimination is related to attitudes towards the national majority group and willingness to confront injustice to promote the social standing of a minority group. We examined this relationship via two mediating factors; national (dis)identification from and out-group (dis)trust of the national majority group. The Rejection-Disidentification Model (RDIM) was refined, first, to account for willingness to confront injustice as a consequence of perceived rejection, and second, intergroup (dis)trust was examined as an additional mediating mechanism that can explain attitudinal and behavioural reactions to perceived rejection simultaneously with national disidentification. The model was tested in a comparative survey data of Russian-speaking minority in Estonia (N = 482), Finland (N = 254), and Norway (N = 219). In all three countries, the more Russian-speakers identified as Russians and the more they perceived ethnic discrimination, the more negative were their attitudes toward the national majority groups and the more willing they were to engage in action to confront group-based injustice. Whereas disidentification from and distrust of national majority group accounted for the discrimination-attitude link to a large extent, both factors had demobilizing effects on willingness to confront injustice, making Russian-speaking immigrants more passive but hostile. The findings are discussed in relation to the risks involved in politicization of immigrants struggling with perceived inequalities.

Do We Stand Together? The Role of Perceived Personal and Group Threats in Predicting the Majority’s (Un)willingness to Confront Injustice on Behalf of a Minority

“…Thus, our first hypothesis was confirmed, supporting previous research showing how cumulative, multifaceted realistic threats may exacerbate negative intergroup outcomes (see DiPrete and Eirich, 2006 ; Renvik et al, 2018 ). Previous research often linked discrimination experiences with outgroup negativity (e.g., Jasinskaja-Lahti et al, 2018 ) and with the willingness to engage in various forms of collective action to support and promote the rights of the in-group (SIMCA; van Zomeren et al, 2011 ) among minority groups. Our findings suggest that perceived ethnic discrimination – be it targeted to an individual personally or toward one’s in-group – may also hinder majority group members’ willingness to promote equal rights of disadvantaged groups.…”

“…The concept of “speaking out” when confronting unfairness has been previously acknowledged in the study of behavioral intentions by Louis et al (2007) . The two items that were adapted from the willingness to participate in the collective action scale of Simon et al (1998) were previously used as a subscale of willingness to confront injustice by Jasinskaja-Lahti et al (2018) . We proceeded with using the adapted two-item confronting injustice scale due to Russian immigrants/minorities not being a specific, clear-cut group with determined political agendas in Nordic countries and Estonia.…”

“…We proceeded with using the adapted two-item confronting injustice scale due to Russian immigrants/minorities not being a specific, clear-cut group with determined political agendas in Nordic countries and Estonia. More active forms of collective action, such as signing petitions and protest participation, are not very common among them ( Jasinskaja-Lahti et al, 2018 ). Still, Russian immigrants and minorities face high levels of discrimination in these countries, and not only themselves but also all members of the larger society need to be supportive of and engaged in publicly confronting injustice toward others.…”

The dual path of the rejection (dis)identification model: A study on adolescents with a migrant background

“…Indeed, similar to Thibault and Kelley's (1959) conceptualization of comparison‐level‐for‐alternatives, if people expect that they may receive more rewards (greater satisfaction of acceptance needs) in an alternative relationship (e.g., in their minority group), they may reduce their commitment in the relationship with the national group, opting for withdrawal or avoidant responses (see also Smart Richman & Leary, 2009). However, while the identification process usually shows a protective role in individuals' well‐being, the disidentification following rejection causes adverse emotional and attitudinal reactions towards the perpetrator group (Jasinskaja‐Lahti et al, 2009, 2018).…”

Citizenship and socio-political integration: A person-oriented analysis among Russian-speaking minorities in Estonia, Finland and Norway

“…In other words, strong ethnic identification can be associated both with integrationist and separatist orientation in relation to engaging in contact with the national majority -depending on how immigrants perceive the prevailing intergroup relations in society (Barrette, Bourhis, Personnaz, & Personnaz, 2004; see also Verkuyten, 2006). Another reaction to perceived inequality among immigrants is national dis-identification, which compromises positive intergroup relations with the majority and socio-political engagement (Jasinskaja-Lahti, Celikkol, Renvik, Eskelinen, Vetik, & Sam, 2018;Jasinskaja-Lahti, Liebkind, & Solheim, 2009). Therefore, following previous research discussed above (e.g., Simon & Ruhs, 2008;Verkuyten, 2006;Verkuyten & Martinovic, 2012;Vetik 2018;Wright & Bloemraad, 2012), we approach Russian-speaking minority group members' socio-political integration through their sense of belonging in the ethnic ingroup and the society at large, accompanied by perceptions of group status (perceived discrimination, status legitimacy and permeability of group boundaries) and stance towards the national majority (attitudes towards and trust in majority).…”