Newcomers' cognitive development of social identification: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of self-anchoring and self-stereotyping

Upon joining a new social category, group members strive to establish and maintain high social identification. Thus far, we know relatively little about the cognitive underpinnings of social identification when developing from a new to a well‐established group member. This research investigates the differential impact of newcomers' self‐stereotyping (i.e., assimilation of the self to group stereotypes) and self‐anchoring (i.e., projection of self‐attributes onto the ingroup) on the development of social identification over time. Across two time points during the academic year, first year psychology students (N = 123) filled in a questionnaire on their perceptions about the self, psychology students, and social identification. Cross‐sectional and longitudinal analyses confirmed our hypotheses that self‐anchoring instigated new group members' social identification, while self‐stereotyping instigated social identification once group membership was more well‐established. This research emphasizes the interactive role of the personal and social self in the development of social identification.