Celebrating organizational history triggers social identity threat among Black Americans

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Wallace, Laura E.; Reeves, Stephanie L.; Spencer, Steven J.; Wilson, Timothy
• 署名单位: University of Chicago; University System of Ohio; Ohio State University; University System of Ohio; Ohio University
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-11176
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313878121
• 发表日期: 2024-04-16
• 关键词: stereotype; racism

摘要

Many mainstream organizations celebrate their historical successes. In their history, however, they often marginalized racial minorities, women, and other underrepresented groups. We suggest that when organizations celebrate their histories, even without mentioning historical marginalization, they can undermine belonging and intentions to join the organization among historically marginalized groups. Four experiments demonstrate that Black participants who were exposed to an organization that celebrated their history versus the present showed reduced belonging and intentions to participate in the organization. These effects were mediated by expectations of biased treatment in the organization. Further, when organizations had a history of Black people in power, celebrating history was no longer threatening, highlighting that the negative effects of celebrating history are most likely when organizations are or are assumed to be majority - White and have treated Black Americans poorly. Taken together, these findings suggest that emphasizing organizational history can be a source of social identity threat among Black Americans.