Being nice isn't enough: Prosocial orientation and perceptions of self-uniqueness jointly promote outgroup reparation. (December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Choi, Hoon-Seok; Euh, Hyun
• Is Part Of: Group processes and intergroup relations. Volume 22:Number 8(2019)
• Page Start: 1215
• Page End: 1234
• Publication Date: 2019-12
• Subjects: intergroup helping -- intergroup victimization -- outgroup reparation -- prosocial orientation -- self-uniqueness; Intergroup relations -- Periodicals; Social groups -- Periodicals; 302.305
• DOI: 10.1177/1368430218801078
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-4302

Abstract

Using a real-life case of intergroup victimization (i.e., victimization of migrant workers in Korea), we tested our hypothesis that positive attitudes toward compensating a victimized outgroup and intention to participate in ingroup corrective actions would be facilitated when a prosocial orientation is combined with high levels of perceived self-uniqueness. In Study 1, we measured participants' social value orientation and their self-attributed need for uniqueness as our independent variables ( N = 249) and found a predicted interaction effect, such that prosocials with high levels of perceived self-uniqueness were more likely to support outgroup compensation and more willing to engage in ingroup corrective actions than were prosocials with low levels of self-uniqueness. In contrast, for proselfs neither compensation nor intention to participate in ingroup correction varied as a function of self-uniqueness. We replicated these findings in Study 2 ( N = 106), in which we measured participants' trait agreeableness as an index of prosocial orientation and manipulated self-uniqueness via priming. Implications of our findings for research on outgroup reparation and future directions are discussed.