Entitativity

In social psychology describes Entitativität to what extent a collection of individuals is perceived as a cohesive social unit. This can refer both to the perception of the relevant individuals, as well as those of outsiders.

Definition

The term was coined by Donald T. Campbell in 1958, to illustrate why some groups as groups, on the other hand others are regarded more as a loose collection of individuals. A high degree of Entitativität states therefore that a certain group is clearly perceived as a cohesive social group. Entitativität can thus be defined as " perception as a group " or " Gruppenhaftigkeit ". This property can be used as part of the definition of a social group.

When Entitativität is a property that only founded on the subjective perception and therefore can not be determined objectively. People decide intuitively whether it is a group with a particular collection of people or not. They are based on certain clues. For example, the spectators of a football game at the stadium are first considered only as a collection of individuals. When this finally begin to express similar feelings and to sing the same chants, they are perceived more as a group, that is, the Entitativität increases.

Entitativität different social groups

Different types of social groups differ in their degree of Entitativität. To have intimate groups such as families, in general, the highest Entitativität on. Working groups, in contrast, slightly less entitativ. An even lower Entitativität show social categories, such as members of a particular religious community. Temporary groupings, such as waiting at a bus stop or moviegoers, have the lowest Entitativität.

Lickel and others ( 2000) surveyed 199 students of the University of California, as they evaluate the Entitativität of 40 different groupings. Respondents rated each of the groups on a scale of 1 ( no group at all ) to 9 ( very much a group ) a. The following table illustrates some of the results:

Table 1: Mean Entitativität selected groups (data taken from Lickel among others 2000: 227)

Relationship between Entitativität and group-related characteristics

In accordance with this, a positive correlation was found with the Entitativität regard to the duration of a grouping. Study results of Lickel and others ( 2000), the Entitativität also strongly correlated positively with the degree of interaction between the group members. Contradictory findings exist regarding the relationship between group size and Entitativität. It was not clear whether larger groups have a higher or lower Entitativität than smaller ones.

According to Campbell ( 1958) the Entitativität a grouping is promoted when the appropriate people themselves are similar in relevant points, experience a common shared destiny and geographical proximity. Similarity here refers to the personal characteristics or behavior of the group members. A common shared destiny, provided that the experienced by different people events are linked. These three properties can be illustrated by a group of students sitting together at a table. The similarity of the students is, for example, that they read all the same textbook or wear T -shirts with the logo of the University. A common shared destiny can be justified is that the students get up together and go to the auditorium, where they converse with each other. The spatial proximity is because they sit close to each other or - go. In contrast to Campbell ( 1958) and Brewer Harasty (1996 ) evaluate a perceived similarity between the members of a group rather than previous condition of Entitativität rather than its consequence.

The Entitativität influence how much capacity a group will be awarded as a unit. Groups are considered to be influential and dangerous when they have a higher Entitativität. Furthermore, influences the Entitativität how individuals evaluate their membership in social groups. Individuals rate their own membership in those groups most value, which they attach a strong Entitativität. From groups with high Entitativität even more stereotypes are formed of less than entitativen groupings.