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Explaining Lifelong Loyalty: The Role of Identity Fusion and Self-Shaping Group Events

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  • Martha Newson
  • Michael Buhrmester
  • Harvey Whitehouse

Abstract

Pledging lifelong loyalty to an ingroup can have far-reaching behavioural effects, ranging from ordinary acts of ingroup kindness to extraordinary acts of self-sacrifice. What motivates this important form of group commitment? Here, we propose one especially potent answer to this question–the experience of a visceral sense of oneness with a group (i.e., identity fusion). In a sample of British football fans, a population in which high levels of lifelong loyalty are thought to be common, we first examined the hypothesised relationship between fusion and perceptions of lifelong loyalty to one’s club. We further explored the hypothesis that fusion and lifelong loyalty are not merely a reflection of past time investment in a group, but also reflect a deeper, memory-based process of feeling personally shaped by key group events, both euphoric and dysphoric. We found broad support for these hypotheses. Results suggest that feeling personally self-shaped by club events (e.g., crucial wins and losses), rather than time invested in the club, leads to greater identity fusion to one’s club. In turn, fusion engenders a sense of lifelong club loyalty. We discuss our findings in relation to the growing literature on the experiential origins of intense social cohesion.

Suggested Citation

  • Martha Newson & Michael Buhrmester & Harvey Whitehouse, 2016. "Explaining Lifelong Loyalty: The Role of Identity Fusion and Self-Shaping Group Events," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-13, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0160427
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160427
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonathan Jong & Harvey Whitehouse & Christopher Kavanagh & Justin Lane, 2015. "Shared Negative Experiences Lead to Identity Fusion via Personal Reflection," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(12), pages 1-12, December.
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    1. AYTAÇ, Muhammed Bilgehan & BİLİR, Hüsnü, 2024. "Child images affect sports fans' prosociality and aggression," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    2. Á. Gómez & J. J. Bélanger & J. Chinchilla & A. Vázquez & B. M. Schumpe & C. F. Nisa & S. Chiclana, 2021. "Admiration for Islamist groups encourages self-sacrifice through identity fusion," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Kenneth W. Abbott & Philipp Genschel & Duncan Snidal & Bernhard Zangl, 2021. "Beyond opportunism: Intermediary loyalty in regulation and governance," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(S1), pages 83-101, November.
    4. Diego Henríquez & Alfonso Urzúa & Wilson López-López, 2023. "Social Support as a Mediator of the Relationship between Identity Fusion and Psychological Well-Being in South—South Migrant Populations," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 1113-1135, September.
    5. Daniel A. Yudkin & Annayah M. B. Prosser & S. Megan Heller & Kateri McRae & Aleksandr Chakroff & M. J. Crockett, 2022. "Prosocial correlates of transformative experiences at secular multi-day mass gatherings," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Samaranayake, Don Isuru & Jayarathna, Dhammika & Mithursan, Asokkumar, 2021. "Impact of identity fusion and pro-group motivation on employees’ productivity: experimental survey," MPRA Paper 120948, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 24 Jul 2022.
    7. Tara Tasuji & Elaine Reese & Valerie van Mulukom & Harvey Whitehouse, 2020. "Band of mothers: Childbirth as a female bonding experience," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(10), pages 1-24, October.

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