Yoel Yinon

Intergroup and Interpersonal Threats as Determinants of Prejudice: The Moderating Role of In-Group Identification

Employing the integrated threat theory of prejudice (Stephan & Stephan, 1996), the proposition that the intergroup threats (realistic and symbolic) would be more predominant in predicting prejudice among high-identified group members was examined in this study. In contrast, the interpersonal threats (intergroup anxiety and negative stereotypes) would be more predominant in predicting prejudice among low-identified group members. Prejudice of native Israelis toward Russian immigrants, as well as their perceptions of the 4 types of threats posed by these immigrants, was assessed among 104 participants. Regression analyses revealed that realistic threats were more influential in predicting prejudice for high identifiers than for low identifiers, whereas intergroup anxiety was more influential in predicting prejudice for low identifiers than for high identifiers. High and low identifiers did not differ in regard to the relative influence of the symbolic threat and negative stereotypes. The results are discussed in relation to the integrated threat theory of prejudice and in the context of the relations between veteran Israelis and Russian immigrants.

Engaging in distancing tactics among sport fans: effects on self-esteem and emotional responses.

Abstract The authors examined the effects of distancing tactics on self-esteem and emotions, following a win or loss of ones favorite team. They measured state self-esteem and emotional responses of basketball fans as they exited the sport arena after their team had won or lost an official game. Half of the fans were given the opportunity to increase or decrease their association with the team before the measures of self-esteem and emotions; the remaining fans were given the opportunity after the measures. The fans tended to associate more with the team after team success than after team failure. In addition, self-esteem and positive emotions were higher, and negative emotions lower, when measured after, rather than before, the opportunity to increase or decrease association with the team. Those effects were more pronounced among high-team-identification fans than among low-team-identification fans. The results suggest a distinction between the short- and long-term effects of game outcome on the willingness to associate with ones team. In the short term, willingness to associate with the team may oscillate in accordance with team performance, even among high-team-identification fans; in the long term, only high-team-identification fans may maintain their allegiance to the team.

Group-Based Emotional Distress: An Extension of Self-Discrepancy Theory

The authors examined whether discrepancies related to the group-based aspects of the self are differentially associated with distinct group-based emotional distress. Perceived actual, ideal, and ought attributes; group-based dejection and agitation-related emotions; and collective self-esteem and fear of negative evaluation of Israelis were assessed among 118 native Israelis. The actual-ideal group discrepancy was uniquely related to dejection-related emotions and to private collective self-esteem (CSE). In contrast, the actual-ought group discrepancy was uniquely linked to agitation-related emotions and to fear of negative Israeli evaluation. Furthermore, the actual-ought discrepancy association with fear of negative group evaluation was present only among low identifiers. Overall, the findings suggest the applicability of self-discrepancy theory in explaining emotional distress resulting from group membership.

On the reinforcing value of helping behavior in a positive mood

In two separate experiments, each utilizing 33 male high school students, it was found that (a) after offering help, subjects reported that they were in a more positive mood than subjects who were not given the opportunity to help and (b) the proportion of helpers among subjects who expected their positive mood to continue was smaller than among those who did not share such an expectation. These findings are discussed in terms of the Negative State Relief model describing the relationship between mood and helping behavior.

Aggression and its Escalation

Physical aggression, its escalation, and felt responsibility for it, were compared in group and individual action of Israeli natives and of European Russian, Caucasian, and Georgian new immigrants to Israel. The experimental paradigm was a modified Buss aggression machine paradigm for measuring physical aggression. Generally, aggression was greater and escalated faster, and felt responsibility was lower, in groups than in individuals. Georgians were the most aggressive and European Russians were the least so. Diffusion of responsibility and its disinhibitory role in collective action was the major explanation. The ethnic differences were seen as reflecting the influence of sociocultural training in aggression (Georgians) versus that of a history of severe punishment for aggression (European Russians).

Regaining Self-Esteem through Helping Behavior

Summary It was hypothesized that a person who fails in a task which affects his self-esteem will be less helpful than a person who succeeds in such a task. However, when the helping involves a task which is different from the original one but taps the same ability, failing persons will help more than their successful counterparts. Thirty-seven female undergraduates failed or succeeded in a task requiring intellectual ability (Ravens matrices), and were then asked to help by either reperformance of an identical task or by manifesting their intellectual ability in a completely different way (explaining an article in psychology). It was found that more time was devoted to help under the different task condition by Ss who failed than by Ss who succeeded. There was no significant difference between Ss who failed or succeeded in the amount of time devoted to help under the similar task condition, although the results were in the predicted direction.

Intergroup conflict management strategies as related to perceptions of Dual identity and separate groups

The authors examined the relations between (a) the perceptions of dual identity and separate groups and (b) intergroup conflict management strategies, in two contexts: the conflict between the secular and religious sectors in Israel and the allocation of resources among organizational subunits. In both contexts, contention (i.e., forcing ones will on the other party) was associated with the perception of separate groups. Only in the organizational context, avoidance (i.e., doing nothing or discontinuing participation in the conflict) was associated with the perception of dual identity. Problem solving (i.e., finding a solution that is acceptable to both parties) was related to the perception of dual identity in the secular-religious context. In the organizational context, this relation appeared only under a low perception of separate groups. Yielding (i.e., satisfying the other partys needs at the expense of ones own) was related to the perception of dual identity in the organizational context. In the secular-religious context, this relation appeared only under a high perception of separate groups. The authors discussed the varying pattern of the associations between (a) the perceptions of dual identity and separate groups and (b) the conflict management strategies in the two contexts in terms of the Dual Concern Model and the perceived feasibility of the strategies.

Symmetrical and asymmetrical interethnic perception in Israel

Abstract Asymmetrical ethnic perception within the Israeli population has been demonstrated by several past studies. Jews of Western origin generally revealed unfavorable attitudes toward Jews from Oriental origin, whereas the latter group revealed favorable attitudes toward Jews of Western origin and related less favorably toward themselves. The present study raises the question whether there exists an unequivocal assymmetry in interethnic perception in Israel, or whether under specific conditions, in which close contact between the groups exists, and where the status of Orientals is equal to that of the Westerners, asymmetry might not be found. Ethnic stereotypes were investigated among 463 students in vocational high schools. The findings show the emergence of symmetrical ethnic perception within that population. Symmetry has reached its optimal level among children of mixed parentage, who rated equally—Western or Oriental Israelis. In addition, contrary to previous results, students of Oriental origin did not differ from Western students in their attitudes toward Arabs. The difference between the present study and previous studies is discussed.

Effects of guilt-arousal communications on volunteering to the civil guard: A field experiment

Three intensities of guilt about not volunteering to the civil guard were aroused by distributing appropriate leaflets among three groups (30 students per group) of 12th graders. A fourth group of 30 12th graders served as a control and did not receive any leaflet. All four groups could choose to devote different amounts of their time for serving in the civil guard or to refuse to volunteer at all. It was found that the moderate guilt-arousing leaflet was more effective than the low and high guilt-arousing leaflets in motivating the students to volunteer for the civil guard. The results were interpreted as supporting Janis’s model, which predicted a curvilinear relationship between the intensity of guilt and the amount of change in attitude or behavior.

Presence of Other Drivers as a Determinant of Traffic Violations

Nine hundred and sixty drivers (half of them women), who were first in line or in the first row, while waiting at an intersection, were observed as to whether they started to cross the intersection before the onset of the green light, in four situations; (a) they were the only waiting driver; (b) at least two cars were waiting behind them; (c) one or two cars were waiting at their side; (d) at least two cars were waiting behind each of the cars in the first row. The smallest proportion of traffic law violators was found among the single drivers, while the largest one was among drivers surrounded by other drivers both at their sides and at the back. Drivers in the other two situations fell in between. Women tended to be less affected by the presence of other drivers than men.(a) for the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 815404.