#16 Here be Black Sheeps: Exploring the effect.
Jose Marques on how group members experience social exclusion.
The concept of the "black sheep effect" is one that has been studied for many years, and it refers to the tendency of group members to judge likable ingroup members more positively and deviant ingroup members more negatively than comparable outgroup members.
In 1988, Jose Marques and his colleagues discovered the black sheep effect, which is an effect of ingroup prejudice. Participants in the first research were asked to rate a target person on a range of traits. The participants were presented as "likable," "neutral," or "unlikable" targets who belonged to either an ingroup (Belgian students) or an outgroup (other students) (North African students). Following the display of the targets, participants were asked to score them on a variety of positive and negative traits (e.g., sociable, cheerful, chilly, unpleasant). There was a significant interaction found, indicating that participants evaluated a likable ingroup member higher than a likable outgroup member. An ingroup member who was disliked had lower trait ratings than an outgroup member. These findings were replicated in multiple studies using different methodologies (e.g., lab experiments, online questionnaires) and groups (e.g., sports clubs, and university student associations).
Many factors can contribute to the black sheep effect, such as group identification and power. When an individual is a member of a group they are automatically included within that group; this feeling of inclusion promotes positive evaluations of group members and negative evaluations of non-group members. Individuals who are less well-liked by their peers will experience greater social exclusion, which can impact both mental and physical health. Research shows that black sheep are more vulnerable to the negative effects of social exclusion than those individuals who are liked within their group. Identifying individuals who do not fit in with the group's norms can help organisations maintain a positive and productive environment. For example, basketball teams may use personality tests during the hiring process to identify team players who are similar to each other and therefore more likely to gel well as a team. Identifying those players who do not fit within the team’s culture can also help coaches work with these individuals to improve their performance and participation on the team.
In another study, Indian caste system was used as a reference point for describing the black sheep effect. In India, a person’s social identity is heavily influenced by his or her caste. Caste determines where a person lives, what job they do, and whether or not they are considered “clean” or “unclean.” When a person is identified as a member of the lower castes in India (i.e., Dalits), they have to contend with negative stereotypes about their community—both inside and outside India. Research has shown that Dalits experience greater discrimination from members of higher castes both inside and outside of India than non-Dalits. This discrimination can often lead to feelings of social exclusion and lead to emotional issues such as depression and social anxiety disorder. Because social identities are heavily influenced by one’s status in society, it is not surprising that people are more likely to experience a black sheep effect when they are excluded from society because of their social identity.
Recently, researchers have begun to explore the potential effects of social media on the black sheep effect. One recent study found that participants who were exposed to negative comments about others on social media rated those individuals as less likeable than those who were not exposed to these negative comments. Exposure to social media comments led to reduced liking of unfamiliar individuals and reduced willingness to interact with these individuals in the future. Although these findings are somewhat preliminary, they indicate that the effects of black sheep effects may extend to online interactions. Further research is needed to better understand the impact of social media on social interactions and to determine whether these effects extend to other social groups and contexts.