Collective self-verification among members of a naturally occurring group: Possible antecedents and long-term consequences

Extending prior work on collective self-verification (e.g., Chen, Chen, & Shaw, 2004), the present study examined possible antecedents and long-term correlates of collective self-verification among members of a naturally occurring group. Group members were randomly paired and collective self-verification was assessed in terms of the degree of correspondence between ratings of the self as a group member and partners' ratings of the self as a member. Greater correspondence in self- and partner ratings was found for attributes that group members idiographically deemed highly central to defining the group relative to their idiographic, low-centrality attributes. Moreover, this attribute centrality effect was particularly apparent among highly identified group members. Finally, self-partner correspondence was positively associated with participants' perceptions of themselves as prototypical group members and their dedication to the group, both assessed months later.