Status-improvement strategies fail when targets belong to both high- and low-status groups

Evidence

In the social competition strategy, members of the lower status group engage in intergroup competition with the higher status group to achieve a change in the status hierarchy (Tajfel and Turner 1979). As noted in the considerations on social creativity strategies, a change of the relative status positions of both of Mixed individuals’ ingroups may not result in self-esteem-serving outcomes, as it does not resolve the presumably unsatisfactory state of belonging to both the high and the low status groups. Hence, Mixed individuals may adopt this strategy only if it has the potential to reduce status differences between their ingroups or create equal status for both of their ingroups. However, they may engage in social competition toward outgroups that are not part of their racial-ethnic background. But we assume that to adopt such a group-based strategy, it may be important to be accepted as a member in the respective (lower status) group, which is not necessarily true for some Mixed individuals (e. — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or Neither, 76

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s test of how ingroup entitativity pressures internally heterogeneous members. This same logic about strategy adoption conditioned on acceptance as an ingroup member has direct bearing: mixed-identity members may not qualify for group-based coping strategies because their group membership is contested. — connects to: Achieved status remains heavily dependent on ascribed group membership — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3161; Impermeable group boundaries raise low-status identification but lower high-status identification. — Stephen Reicher, S. Alexander Haslam, and Nick Hopkins, Social identity and the dynamics of…, 52; Low-status individuals seek local status in splinter groups while still competing globally — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 305 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Low-status individuals seek local status in splinter groups while still competing globally #exemplifies (0.78) — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 305
• Achieved status remains heavily dependent on ascribed group membership #expands (0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3161
• Unsatisfactory group identity drives exit or group improvement efforts #complicates (0.74) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2720
• Impermeable group boundaries raise low-status identification but lower high-status identification. #qualifies (0.73) — Stephen Reicher, S. Alexander Haslam, and Nick Hopkins, Social identity and the dynamics of…, 52