Perceiving one’s own multiple identities as overlapping less predicts broader tolerance

Evidence

Social identity complexity, however, limits its focus to multiple selfcategorization of individuals, and therein, we believe, lays its strength in aiding understanding of intergroup phenomena. It is assumed that cognitive complexity surrounding one’s own multiple in-groups should in and of itself evoke more differentiated intergroup perceptions. Importantly, such more differentiated intergroup perceptions should not only be limited to the corresponding out-group categories (although they are likely to be stronger for these). In other words, social identity complexity is thought to be associated with greater tolerance more generally, and not only in relation to the categories in question. A striking example of this can be found in Brewer and Pierce’s study (2005), in which they measured social identity complexity with regard to three of their respondents’ self-chosen categories and included “American” as a fourth category for all respondents. They obtained significant relationships between social identity complexity and a variety of social attitudes relating to race and religion, even when removing the category “American” from some analyses, and even for individuals who did not include race and/or religion among their three most important social categories. Thus, one may assume that mere cognitive awareness of the complexity and nonoverlapping nature of one’s own social categories translates into greater awareness of the complexity of the social world more generally. — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 539 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Naturally, most individuals will be more or less aware of the actual overlap between the multiple categories they belong to. Actual category overlap will thus be, to some extent, predictive of social identity complexity, yet primarily so for the overlap complexity component of social identity complexity. Those individuals who identify with categories that are already characterized by a relatively high degree of actual overlap are, thus, likely to have relatively lower overlap complexity scores than will individuals whose important categories show considerably less actual overlap. For example, when seeking to assess overlap complexity based on self-categorized nationality and religion, Bangladeshi Muslims are likely to yield lower overlap complexity scores at an absolute level than German Muslims, based on the simple fact that the vast majority of people of Bangladeshi background are Muslim, whereas a tiny minority of German people is Muslim. Thus, one needs to keep in mind potential differences in the nature of the categories used to assess social identity complexity, and the situational context in which they are placed. — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 540 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Concealability of an identity and its normative status shape mixed-identity processes. — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or…, 125; Perceiving one’s own multiple group memberships as non-overlapping fosters generalized tolerance — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 539; Increasing cognitive complexity of one’s own identities reduces out-group prejudice without abandoning those identities — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 587 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Perceiving one’s own multiple group memberships as non-overlapping fosters generalized tolerance #corroborates (0.95) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 539
• Actual demographic overlap of one’s identity categories drives perceived overlap #complicates (0.72) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 540