Minimal Social Categorization, Political Categorization, and Power Change

In: Human relations: towards the integration of the social sciences, Band 31, Heft 9, S. 765-779

Abstract

A theory has been proposed by Mulder that the tendency to take over superordinate power varies inversely with the power distance between ego and the target. As compared to the person who occupies the middle rank, an individual who is on the bottom rank has been shown to be less inclined to take over the top position. What will happen, however, if the latter individual had to act in terms of group instead of self? Will the induction of social categorization activate him to take over superordinate power? Three experimental conditions were set up by means of Mulder's cognitive representational method, using secondary school boys as subjects (N = 54). It was found that minimal social categorization did not enhance the tendency of the bottom member to take overpower. Enhancement effect was observed only in the condition of political categorization where the bottom member belonged to a majority group which had ingroup affinity to the source of power (p < .05). No such effect was found in the political categorization condition where the bottom member belonged to a minority group which did not have ingroup affinity to the source of power.