Intraminority Intergroup Support: An Application Of The Common In Group Identity Model Versus The Social Reconnection Hypothesis

Author

• Lasheka D. Allen, Prairie View A&M University

Date of Award

8-2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Discipline

Clinical Adolescent Psychology

Abstract

Historically, the focus of intergroup relations research evaluated relations between majority and minority group members. With the increased number of minorities, researchers must begin to explore intraminority intergroup relations. Prior research demonstrated support for the common ingroup identity model (CIIM) such that people who experience racial discrimination associate with other disadvantaged minorities and create a superordinate “disadvantaged racial minority group,” which elicits more positive attitudes toward other racial minorities.

Alternatively, studies on perceived discrimination with the need to belong theory (NTB) and the social reconnection hypothesis (SRH) concluded the possibility of an alternative explanation, which is the need to reconnect socially. In this two-study project, the researcher compared CIIM and the SRH to evaluate which approach best predicts positive attitudes among intraminority intergroup members. Procedures included participants reading articles priming them for experiencing racial discrimination, reading an article about a target minority group designed to manipulate perceptions of similarity and accessibility, and measuring explicit attitudes towards the target minority group. A series of one-way ANOVAs were used to evaluate group differences. In both studies, neither hypothesis was supported. The number of participants was too low to meet the power requirements. According to the data trends, the researcher was able to conclude that feelings of similarity towards the target minority group are likely important when evaluating effects on intraminority intergroup support, but further research is needed to confirm this phenomenon.

Committee Chair/Advisor

Corey J. Columb

Committee Co-Chair:

Sherecce A. Fields

Committee Member

Marvin A. Johnson

Committee Member

Logan A. Yelderman

Publisher

Prairie View A&M University

Rights

Date of Digitization

11/18/2025

Contributing Institution

J. B . Coleman Library

City of Publication

Prairie View

MIME Type

Application/PDF

Recommended Citation

Allen, L. (2020). Intraminority Intergroup Support: An Application Of The Common In Group Identity Model Versus The Social Reconnection Hypothesis. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/pvamu-dissertations/134