Preserving prosociality in the face of inequality: A role for multiple group memberships and superordinate group identification

Abstract

Economic inequality has been linked to profound negative impacts due to its corrosive effect on social relations, and fairness is central to this. In line with social cure theorising, we propose that identification with (superordinate) groups can buffer against these effects. Study 1 (N = 400) found that perceived fairness of inequality was negatively associated with helping attitudes, but this was attenuated among those who identified more strongly with a superordinate group. Study 2 (N = 315) focused on perceived fairness of inequality and an expanded range of prosocial outcomes. Perceptions that inequality was fairer were associated with worse prosocial outcomes. However, these relationships were attenuated among those who reported belonging to more groups and those who identified strongly with the superordinate group. These studies highlight the role that group memberships and superordinate identification may play in countering the corrosive effects of societal inequality on prosocial behaviour.

Keywords

fairness groups inequality prosocial social identity

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