Group commitment shifts members from self-interest toward collective welfare

Evidence

For any member of the religious collective, a certain level of commitment, or willingness to work to benefit the group even if this involves self-sacrifice, is necessary (Roccas et al., 2008). Tithing, or standardized contribution based on a percentage of personal income, a practice common for both Roman Catholics and Mormons, is a demonstration of commitment. When a religious group member is committed, they will shift their focus from self-interest to the welfare of the collective. This is demonstrated most clearly in the obligated interdependence that exists between Muslims and Jews as mandated by each groups’ religious text. If an individual has a high level of identification with a religious collective, he/she will also benefit by satisfying a number of fundamental human needs. — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 914

Categorization

• XREF: The claim that commitment entails self-sacrifice and detaches self-interest echoes the dedicated/committed type in the reader’s Allport-pathogen thread, and the altruism-through-identity angle resonates with the sacrifice article. — connects to: Collective efficacy belief can convert group identity into personal pro-environmental action. — Immo Fritsche, Agency Through the We: Group-Based…, 47
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 914