Seeking Conversion Versus Advocating Tolerance in thePursuit of Social Change

摘要

In 2 studies, the authors examined reactions to social change effected by minorities' successful increaseof tolerance for diversity within a group or conversion of a group to the minority position. Minorities whoincreased tolerance for diversity, compared with those who converted a group to their own position,identified more strongly with the group (Study 1). Study 2 replicated these findings. Additionally, itshowed that majorities disidentified less from the group when majorities lost their dominant position dueto the group's increased tolerance for diversity than when majorities lost their dominant position due tothe group's conversion to the minority position. Thus, minority-effected social change left a groupstronger when that change increased the group's tolerance than when the group experienced conversion.Expectations that differences within a group would be regulated through social conflict (vs. conciliation)mediated the effect of the mode of change on group identification. Motives for minorities' pursuit ofsocial change through tolerance of diversity versus group conversion are discussed.