College Students' Sense Of Uncertainty For The Research On The Effects Of Group Identification

Personal uncertainty is the feeling of doubt or instability in self-views, worldviews, or circumstances. People have a fundamental need to feel certain about their world and their place within it and that too much personal uncertainty threatens the meaning of existence. Thus, personal uncertainty often motivates behavior that reduces subjective uncertainty.The present research aims at testing the effects of uncertainty sailence on individual’s group identification. Based on the Uncertainty Management Model and previous studies, three studies were carried on.(1) One hundred and twenty-one junior college students participated in the first study which tested the suppose that weather uncertainty sailence could affect the evaluation for in-group and out-group.We proved that when reminded of one’s uncertainty, individual evaluates a target in-group person more positive, and evaluates a target out-group person more passive.(2) One hundred and eighty-two undergraduates participated in the second study which tested the suppose that weather uncertainty sailence could affect the stereotype for in-group and out-group.We proved that after uncertainty sailence, individual expressed more positive stereotype towards in-group, and also in-group continuity will enchance individual’s positive stereotype toward in-group.(3) One hundred and twenty postgraduates participated in the third study which tested the suppose that weather uncertainty sailence could affect the resources allocation for in-group and out-group.We proved that uncertainty salience could increase resources allocated to ingroup decrease resources allocated to outgroup.The all three studies proved that uncertainty sailence could enhance individual’s group identification.