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S Reeves Dissertation.pdf (1.75 MB)

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Whose good old days? Organizational approaches to history shape experiences for members of historically marginalized groups

Reeves, Stephanie Lauren
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1561890999316546

Abstract Details

2019, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Many mainstream organizations celebrate and emphasize their history, even though their histories often marginalized women, racial minorities, and other underrepresented groups. Drawing from the “cues hypothesis” (Murphy et al., 2007), we suggest that when organizations emphasize their histories, they provide a cue of social identity threat (i.e. the concern that one may be devalued because of their group membership) for members of historically marginalized groups. Specifically, we hypothesized that emphasizing an organization’s history would undermine trust, belonging, and intentions to participate in the organization among Black participants. Four experiments and an internal meta-analysis supported these predictions. Across studies, Black participants who were exposed to an organization that emphasized history showed reduced trust, belonging, and intentions to participate in the organization relative to those who viewed a control organization. Furthermore, consistent with social identity threat theory, these effects were stronger among individuals who reported higher levels of stigma consciousness (Pinel, 1999). Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated these basic effects. In Study 3, we examined whether membership in a marginalized group would moderate the effects; we found no evidence that emphasizing history triggered social identity threat among White participants, who have not been historically marginalized in mainstream US organizations. Study 4 examined how the content of an organization’s history would shape the effects. This study found that the effects of emphasizing history were mitigated when the organization’s history was diverse and inclusive. Taken together, these findings suggest that emphasizing organizational history (even when that history is not overtly racist, but merely manifests society’s racism) is a ubiquitous, yet underappreciated source of social identity threat among marginalized groups. These findings have implications for broadening participation of women, racial minorities, and other underrepresented groups in organizations. Specifically, they suggest that when organizations celebrate and emphasize their history – as many mainstream organizations do – they may inadvertently highlight group-based inequalities in organizations.
Steven Spencer, PhD (Advisor)
Fujita Kentaro, PhD (Committee Member)
Crocker Jennifer, PhD (Committee Member)
114 p.
Social Psychology
Social identity threat, stigma, stigma consciousness, organizations, organizational trust, belonging, diversity, African Americans

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Reeves, S. L. (2019). Whose good old days? Organizational approaches to history shape experiences for members of historically marginalized groups [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1561890999316546

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Reeves, Stephanie. Whose good old days? Organizational approaches to history shape experiences for members of historically marginalized groups. 2019. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1561890999316546.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Reeves, Stephanie. "Whose good old days? Organizational approaches to history shape experiences for members of historically marginalized groups." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1561890999316546

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1561890999316546
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.