TY - JOUR
T1 - With or without you? Perceived indispensability and opposition to separatist movements
AU - Fluit, Anne Marie
AU - Martinović, Borja
AU - Verkuyten, Maykel
AU - Zhou, Siyuan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The British Psychological Society.
PY - 2023/4
Y1 - 2023/4
N2 - Positive intergroup relations are shown to be related to the perception that, despite mutual differences, all subgroups are indispensable for the identity or functioning of the overall society. Yet, so far, the research on identity and functional indispensability is concerned with minorities that strive for inclusion in the larger nation-state (e.g., immigrants). In contrast, we examined the roles of identity and functional indispensability in the context of separatist movements. In Study 1 (N = 397), we found that Han Chinese' perceptions of identity and functional indispensability of Tibetans and Uyghurs were associated with higher willingness to engage in collective action against these groups' separatist movements. We replicated these findings in Study 2a and 2b among a diverse sample of the Dutch concerning the Brexit (N = 378) and Frexit (N = 279). In experimental Study 3, again among the Dutch (N = 405), we found that indispensability increased anti-Frexit action intentions. We conclude that, in the context of separatist movements, perceived indispensability can make attitudes towards separatist movements more antagonistic. The findings contribute to a better understanding of intergroup relations when subgroups' interests clash.
AB - Positive intergroup relations are shown to be related to the perception that, despite mutual differences, all subgroups are indispensable for the identity or functioning of the overall society. Yet, so far, the research on identity and functional indispensability is concerned with minorities that strive for inclusion in the larger nation-state (e.g., immigrants). In contrast, we examined the roles of identity and functional indispensability in the context of separatist movements. In Study 1 (N = 397), we found that Han Chinese' perceptions of identity and functional indispensability of Tibetans and Uyghurs were associated with higher willingness to engage in collective action against these groups' separatist movements. We replicated these findings in Study 2a and 2b among a diverse sample of the Dutch concerning the Brexit (N = 378) and Frexit (N = 279). In experimental Study 3, again among the Dutch (N = 405), we found that indispensability increased anti-Frexit action intentions. We conclude that, in the context of separatist movements, perceived indispensability can make attitudes towards separatist movements more antagonistic. The findings contribute to a better understanding of intergroup relations when subgroups' interests clash.
KW - functional indispensability
KW - identity indispensability
KW - protest intentions
KW - separatist movements
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85147439046&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/bjso.12624
DO - 10.1111/bjso.12624
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85147439046
SN - 0144-6665
VL - 62
SP - 655
EP - 672
JO - British Journal of Social Psychology
JF - British Journal of Social Psychology
IS - 2
ER -