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The psychology of the black sheep effect reveals: Are you also the "black sheep" in the group?
In many societies or cultures, the term black sheep is often used to describe individuals who are different from the overall group, especially those who are not easily adaptable in family or society. This term comes from the occasional black wool sheep in the flock, which stands out in appearance, and its black wool is often considered commercially unpopular because it cannot be dyed.
The History and Significance of Black Sheep
The concept of black sheep can be traced back to the 18th and 19th centuries, and in Britain at that time, black sheep was regarded as a mark of the devil. Although this term initially had contempt, as time passed, people's interpretations of "Black Sheep" gradually became diverse. In some cases, it is more of a unique personality or individual uniqueness.
The black sheep effect refers to the group members giving higher evaluations to the welcome members of the group when evaluating members in the group, while the biased members in the group are given lower evaluations, and this evaluation is more extreme than that of members outside the group.
Application in psychology
According to a 1988 study, researchers asked Belgian students to evaluate different groups, including unpopular Belgian students, unpopular North African students, popular Belgian students, and popular North African students. The research results show that the most rated members in the group were the highest, while the least rated members were the lowest, while the other members were the same.
The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the Black Sheep effect, pointing out that the performance of members in the group is particularly emphasized in different group situations.
Explanation of social identity theory
The main explanation for the black sheep effect comes from social identity theory. According to this theory, group members seek to maintain a positive and unique social identity. Therefore, group members will emphasize gratifying members more and give stricter evaluations to members who are deviant within the group to maintain the image of the entire group.
Limitations of the Black Sheep Effect
Although the black sheep effect has gained widespread support, in some situations, the opposite pattern has been observed. For example, some white participants evaluated unqualified black objects even lower than similar white objects. Therefore, the factors that affect the black sheep effect are not limited to the identity of group members, but also include situational factors and group characteristics.
A higher sense of identity within the group and the degree of group integration will make the black sheep effect more obvious.
The image of black sheep in culture
It is worth mentioning that "Black Sheep" also has similar expressions in different cultures and languages, such as "White Crow" in Russian and "White Crow" in Persian. These descriptions suggest that potential tension between group members and unusual members is ubiquitous in various cultures.
Reflection and future direction
For many, becoming a "black sheep" in the group means isolation and exclusion, but such a reaction also triggers deep thoughts on individual uniqueness and self-identity. As an individual in society, have you ever had doubts about your uniqueness? What changes and impacts do you think will be brought about by these "black sheep" in today's society?
