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I D E N T I T Y F U S I O N : A N E X A M I N AT I O N O F U N I O N S A N D P O L I T I C A L
B E H AV I O R
MARISSA THEYS
J A M E S K R U E G E R , FA C U LT Y M E N T O R
D E PA R T M E N T O F P O L I T I C A L S C I E N C E , U N I V E R S I T Y O F W I S C O N S I N - O S H KO S H
Figure 1. Logistic Regression of Fused Members for Government
Spending and Stimulus CCES 2011
Recently research on identity fusion, the blending of an individual’s personal-self and
social-self with that of a group, has attempted to explain why a person engages in
unconventional political participation (Swann et al. 2009). Group members with fused
identities differ from other identities in that rather than undergoing depersonalization
to become a prototypical member of the group, they retain their personal identity
which makes them more likely to participate in extreme pro-group actions (Swann et
al. 2009). Unions offer a distinctive group to understand identity fusion within the
United States. However, it remains to be seen whether fused union members have
increased level of political participation over nonfused members. This paper examines
data from the 2011 Cooperative Congressional Election Study of 1,000 participants.
The findings do no support union identity as a trigger for political behavior, but
suggest that having a fused union identity can trigger positive results for union
specific issues. The implications for this hold that highly connected group members
show attitudes that will favor the group’s political interests.
What do we know about Identity Fusion?






Support Stimulus
(In percentages)
Fusion
-80.4**
173.6**
Age
Gender
Income
-0.1
88.2**
3.6
-1.6**
-41.0**
-5.0*
80.6*
-4.3
82
57.4
49.8
-20.4
64.9**
6.5
-22.5
-46.8
-53.2
-58.4**
-8.6
-20.6
113.5
43.4
-68.8**
-53.2**
766.9**
312.8**
621.3**
194.1**
-82.5**
-65.5**
19.5
1000
261.7
1000
Data
Abstract

Spending -Favor Cutting
Domestic
(In percentages)
Critical difference between identification: in identity fusion, a group member remains capable of personal behaviors
within the group. (Swann et al. 2009).
A combining of personal and social identities: conceptions of oneself as an individual become fused with one’s identity
as a group member (Swann et al. 2009).
Fused members show a higher relationship bond with their group causing tendencies to think that all members are
functionally equivalent (Gomez et al. 2011b).
Identity fusion allows the personal self and social self to move back and forth fluidly (Swann et al. 2012).
In a test, fused participants preferred to sacrifice themselves rather than let a trolley kill five in-group members (Swann
et al. 2010a).
Fused identities are more visible when the participants are physically aroused (running, biking etc.) (Swann et al. 2010b)
When ostracized, fused members respond by making pro-group actions (Gomez et al. (2011a).
The results of the first two tests for political behavior (political
sophistication and vote index) showed a plethora of indices that
one might expect to see in a normal model, such as strong
Republicans and strong Democrats having greater voting turnout as
well as having greater sophistication. They also find males being
more likely to vote and more participation with increased
education. However, being fused to a union had no significant
effect in these tests.
These results may be explained by the notion in identity fusion
of needing a trigger. In broad contexts such as voting or watching
the news (information), a fused identity may not be triggered.
However, if a news story came on about the state of the economy
or whether Congress is voting to raise taxes, that “union” identity
may be triggered.
In the last three tests, union members were asked about unionspecific issues. The first was an OLS regression on the nation’s
economy (Figure 2). With age and income came a greater
likelihood that one would believe the economy was doing better.
Most importantly, fused members showed a significant result that
the economy was doing better off.
The last two tests (Figure 1), found that fused members were
strongly against cutting domestic spending while together they
supported a stimulus package. Democrats were also against
cutting domestic spending, but in favor of a stimulus. Republicans
were in favor of cutting domestic spending, but against a stimulus
package.
The culmination of these last three tests on union-specific
issues reveals a rather interesting find. Fused union members,
when triggered by issues that highly relate to their status as a union
member, will favor the position that most benefits the union. It
shows that a union identity can trigger the specific group-related
attitude in fused union members.
Race
Black
Hispanic
Race Other
Religion
Born Again Religion
Protestant
Mormon
Atheist
Other Religions
Partisanship
Strong Democrat
Weak Democrat
Strong Republican
Weak Republican
Constant
N
Note. *p< .1; **p<.05 Reference groups include White, Catholic and Independents. Data is
from the Cooperative Congressional Election Study, 2011.
Figure 2. OLS Regression of Fused Members and National
Economy CCES 2011
Fusion
Age
Gender
Income
No HS Education
2-yr College
Methods



The goal of this project was to see if a fused union identity would trigger any political behavior or political attitudes
Union members were the test group. They are a the large group, making up more than 11 percent of wage and salary workers
in the US (US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013).
Using a 2011 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, to test for fusion, participants were asked:
“In each of the seven pairs of circles, one represents you, and the other represents the group. Which of these pictures best
represents your relationship with unions?”
From “Swann, William B. Jr, Ángel Gómez, D. C. Seyle, J. F.Morales, and Carmen Huici. 2009. "Identity Fusion: The Interplay of Personal and Social Identities
in Extreme Group Behavior." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 96 (5) (05):995-1011.


Three dependent variables were created. The first was a political sophistication model including factors of knowledge,
information and interest. The second was a vote index which included vote status of 2008 and 2010 as well as registration
status. The final dependent variable consisted of three questions regarding the economy, government spending and a stimulus
bill.
A combination of OLS regressions and logistic regressions were used to account for the control variables and to analyze the
significance of fusion. Several of these include, race, age, income, religion, and education.
Conclusion
 This research was significant because it showed that a fused identity activated
attitudes.
 This study found that fused union members are more likely to pay attention and
care about the issues that affect them (as a union member), and their group (the
union).
 If triggered, a person who is fused will favor a group outcome even if they are not
directly in a group situation. This follows the viewpoint of identity fusion because
members still retain their personal identity. No one is specifically telling the
union members what to support, and yet they favor group-specific outcomes
such as domestic spending which would have a direct effect on the union.
 Most importantly this study affirmed a needed trigger for a fused identity to
appear. If the circumstance is too broad, the fused identity may not show up, but
smaller, more specific issues can still trigger a group identity in politics.
Some College
4-yr College
Post-Graduate
Protestant
Mormon
Atheist
Other
Black
Hispanic
Other
Constant
Adjusted R2
Acknowledgements
Special thanks goes out to the Mary Seaman of the McNair Program of the University of
Wisconsin Oshkosh, and the Political Science Department of the University of Wisconsin
Oshkosh, especially James Krueger and Angie Hammond.
The UW Oshkosh McNair Scholars Program is 100% funded through a TRIO grant from the United States Department of Education PR/Award Number P217A120210. For the year 2012/2013, the UW Oshkosh McNair Scholars Program received $220,000 in federal funds.
-.470**
(.091)
.009**
(.002)
.015
(.067)
-.019*
(.011)
.192
(.187)
-.047
(.130)
.146
(.087)
.030
(.091)
-.324**
(.130)
.093
(.087)
-.022
(.233)
-.286
(.170)
-.182**
(.090)
-.530**
.113
-.007
(.131)
-.096
(.141)
3.401**
(.196)
.099
Note: Values are
unstandardized
regression
coefficients.
Values in
parentheses are
standard errors.
*p< .1; **p<.05
Reference
categories
include HS
education,
Catholic, and
White. 1=
Gotten much
better, 5=
Gotten much
worse. Data is
from the
Cooperative
Congressional
Election Study,
2011