Group Status and Group Prototypicality

Based on self-categorization theory, group status should be positively related to group prototypicality when the relevant superordinate category is positively valued. In this case, high status groups should be perceived to be more prototypical than low status groups even in the absence of concerns about maintaining a positive social identity. To test this hypothesis, a minimal group study was conducted in which participants (N = 139) did not belong to any of the groups involved. Consistent with predictions, participants perceived high status groups to be significantly more prototypical than low status groups. Consistent with selfcategorization theory’s cognitive analysis, these results demonstrate that the relation between group status and group prototypicality is a relatively basic and pervasive effect that does not depend on social identity motives. GROUP STATUS AND GROUP PROTOTYPICALITY 3 Group Status is Related to Group Prototypicality in the Absence of Social Identity Concerns Group prototypicality refers to the degree to which a social group is perceived to be representative of a superordinate category. So, for example, some people might perceive New Yorkers to be more prototypical than Hawaiians of the superordinate category of Americans. According to self-categorization theory (SCT), “self and others [and in-groups and out-groups] are evaluated positively to the degree that they are perceived as prototypical (representative, exemplary, etc.) of the next more inclusive (positively valued) self-category (in terms of which they are being compared)” (Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987, p. 57). Consistent with SCT, previous research has found that relative in-group prototypicality is positively related to in-group favouritism (for a review, see Wenzel, Mummendey, & Waldzus, 2007). This relation can be explained in terms of the motive to maintain a positive social identity: Perceiving one’s in-group to be more prototypical than a relevant out-group is a form of in-group favouritism because it increases the association between the in-group and the positivity of the superordinate self-category. However, the social identity motive may not be necessary in order for there to be a positive relation between group evaluation and group prototypicality. Extrapolating from SCT, I hypothesized that people perceive high status groups to be more prototypical of positively-valued superordinate categories independent of social identity concerns because high status groups are positively-valued and, consequently, more representative of positivelyvalued superordinate categories. This hypothesis represents the cognitive association between group status and group prototypicality independent of the motivational association between in-group favouritism and in-group prototypicality.