Internal Identity Asymmetry and the Perception of Conflict
29 Pages Posted: 1 Jul 2012
Date Written: June 15, 2012
Abstract
As individuals, we have an enduring interest and concern with how we are perceived and evaluated by others. However, there is often misalignment – what we define as internal identity asymmetry – between our self-perceptions and our perceptions of how others view us. These identity processes may significantly influence social behaviour and relationships; yet remain relatively unexplored in the group conflict literature. In this paper, we thus bring together identity and conflict literature to propose that internal identity asymmetry – and whether it is evaluated as a threat or a challenge – may heighten an individual’s experience of group task or relationship conflict.
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