Individuals’ and Groups’ Motivation to Restore Their Impaired Identity Dimensions Following Conflicts
Evidence and Implications
Abstract
Previous theories concerning the “Big Two” dimensions have focused on people’s perceptions and judgments of various social targets. The research presented in this article extends current theorizing by shedding light on how the targets of these judgments respond, in terms of motivational outcomes, to being perceived as high or low on agency or communion. Using the “needs-based model of reconciliation” we argue that, following transgressions, victimized or disadvantaged individuals or groups experience threats to their agency dimension of identity, whereas the perpetrating or advantaged individuals or groups experience threats to their communion identity dimension. We review empirical evidence suggesting that the experience of these threats leads to enhanced motivation to restore these impaired identity dimensions (i.e., reaffirm the agency or communion of oneself or one’s ingroup). We discuss how insights from reconciliation research can enhance our understanding of the Big Two dimensions and vice versa and point to the potential for cross fertilization.
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