The roles of ingroup identification, prior commitment, and group needs in predicting reactions to group defection

Three experiments were conducted to explore the effects of group member defection (versus control) on reactions by ingroup members. In Study 1, emotional reactions were less positive toward defectors than toward controls, especially as a function of Ingroup Identification. In Studies 2 and 3, target Commitment level (low or high) to the group was added as a factor in the experimental design, and participants were led to believe that they would be having a discussion with either a highly or less committed ingroup member, or with either a (previously) highly or less committed defector. In Studies 2 and 3, Ingroup Identification negatively predicted evaluations of defectors but not of ingroup members, whereas Commitment positively predicted evaluations of ingroup members but not of defectors. In Study 3, group needs mediated the link between Membership Status (ingroup member versus defector) and target ratings. Theoretical and practical contributions of these findings are discussed.