Middle group identity: The curvilinear relationship between group status and group member identification

Intermediate status groups-groups that are positioned between top and bottom groups of a hierarchies-are rarely examined in hierarchy research. The current research contributes to this understudied topic, by examining the relationship between group status and group member identification. Three studies with diverse methodologies and contexts tested the hypothesis that members who belong to intermediate status groups are less identified with their group compared to members who belong to top or bottom groups. Study 1 employed experiment that randomly assigned MBA students into one of three hierarchical groups and measured their level of bond with the group. Studies 2 and 3 utilized archival data to find evidence for the curvilinear relationship between group status and downstream consequences of group identification in the context of professional sports teams' franchise values (Study 2) and racial group members' political knowledge (Study 3).