Identity fusion: the interplay of personal and social identities in extreme group behavior.
Abstract
The authors propose that when people become fused with a group, their personal and social identities become functionally equivalent. Two hypotheses follow from this proposition. First, activating either personal or social identities of fused persons should increase their willingness to endorse extreme behaviors on behalf of the group. Second, because personal as well as social identities support group-related behaviors of fused persons, the 2 forms of identity may combine synergistically, fostering exceptionally high levels of extreme behavior. Support for these hypotheses came from 5 preliminary studies and 3 experiments. In particular, fused persons were more willing to fight or die for the group than nonfused persons, especially when their personal or social identities had been activated. The authors conclude that among fused persons, both the personal and social self may energize and direct group-related behavior. Implications for related theoretical approaches and for conceptualizing the relationship between personal identities, social identities, and group processes are discussed.
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Correlational results cannot show whether engaging in group rituals causally promotes group cohesion and cooperation or whether people with a strong group identity are especially likely to engage in group rituals.
“But these correlational results cannot show whether engaging in group rituals causally promotes group cohesion and cooperation or whether people with a strong group identity are especially likely to engage in group rituals (see, for example, Swann, Gómez, Seyle, Moralies, & Huici, 2009).”
From The Psychology of Rituals: An Integrative Review and Process-Based Framework (2018) · cites this paper as Swann, Gómez, Seyle, Moralies, & Huici, 2009
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- Authors
- Swann, W. B., Gómez, Á., Seyle, D. C., Morales, J. F., & Huici, C.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (ES)
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 2009-05
- Volume
- 96
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 995-1011
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W2116279348
- Cited by
- 706
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 62 · 2025: 58 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 54 · 2020: 87 · 2019: 67 · 2018: 58 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 21
- FWCI
- 45.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Science and Education Ministry of Spain (SEJ2004-01537/PSIC)
- Science and Education Ministry
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence
- Keywords
- identity fusion, personal identity, social identity, identity activation, group identification, group process, self-concept
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Cooperative Behavior, Feedback, Female, Group Processes, Humans, Identification, Psychological, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Models, Psychological, Motivation, Self Concept, Social Identification, Social Perception
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