National Identity Ownership

Abstract

People come to feel ownership over groups in which they have membership. Current social psychological theory concerning identity does not address perceived group ownership. This paper examines the potential relationship between perceptions of ownership and an individual's group membership. Integrating work from social psychology and organizational psychology on identity and ownership, this paper suggests that individuals can and do come to feel ownership over groups in which they have membership. Feelings of group ownership are theorized to develop through three important mechanisms: perceived control over, engagement in, and knowledge concerning the group. The importance of group ownership feelings as well as some potential implications is discussed. Four studies construct a measurement of ownership and determine its distinctiveness from previous forms of national ownership. Studies 1 and 2 attempt to replicate previous work on forms of national identification (patriotism and nationalism) and investigate the possible existence of a group ownership construct. Study three further develops a measurement of national ownership and tests whether it is a distinct form of national identification from patriotism and nationalism. Finally, study four manipulates ownership and replicates the findings of study three concerning the construct's distinctiveness.