Who do you think you are? Ingroup and outgroup sources of identity validation

Abstract

Social identity validation occurs when someone receives recognition as a member of their ingroup. Building on uncertainty-identity theory and social identity research, we conducted a study (N = 249) of identity validation processes. We measured (a) identity centrality, and manipulated (b) feedback, (c) source of feedback, and (d) the feedback source's prototypicality, and assessed their effects on feelings of validation, and evaluation of the source and the source's group. As hypothesized, ingroup validation created the strongest sense of validation. Evaluations of the feedback source depended on the feedback and participants' identity centrality. As hypothesized, a four-way interaction between the four predictors emerged on evaluation of the feedback source's group. Implications for intra- and intergroup dynamics and future research are discussed.