Summary diversity in teams and organizations - minor psychology in society
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Module
Diversity in teams and organizations (PSMIN21)
Institution
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RuG)
The document discusses diversity in organizations, with an emphasis on authenticity, group dynamics, equality, and management challenges. It addresses inclusion, intersectionality, and tensions between individual expression and shared norms within multicultural teams
1. Introduction to Diversity and Fundamental Tensions:
● The core question is, "Who should adjust to whom?"—a reflection on the balance
between individuals and groups in diversity management.
● Key Themes:
○ Why diversity matters: It's essential for both societal progress and
organizational effectiveness.
○ Definitions of diversity: These range from narrow focuses (e.g., race, gender)
to broad perspectives (where everyone is seen as diverse).
○ Authenticity and individuality: The importance of caring for individual
authenticity is emphasized, with further focus on group dynamics in subsequent
discussions.
2. Course Approach and Expectations:
● A bird’s-eye view of diversity is taken, focusing first on universal tensions, followed by
specific issues like gender and socioeconomic equality.
● Student participation is encouraged on Perusall, with an emphasis on independent
reading. The exam will include content both from lectures and external readings.
3. Diversity Management and its Challenges:
● Why diversity is important: It enhances creativity and problem-solving in organizations
while fostering justice and inclusion.
● Organizations play a crucial role in promoting fairness and inclusion but must balance
this against maintaining shared norms.
● There is an inherent tension between diversity and equality: Different capacities
among individuals lead to natural inequalities, which organizations must address.
4. Equality and Inequality in Diversity:
● Concepts like the Matthew Effect explain how inequality perpetuates itself—those with
more tend to gain more, while those with less often lose more.
● Majority vs. Minority dynamics: Majority groups maintain the norms, while minority
groups often face exclusion and struggle for self-determination and inclusion.
,5. Defining Diversity:
● Diversity is understood as both objective/subjective and visible/invisible.
Surface-level traits (like race and gender) are immediately visible, while deeper aspects
(beliefs, values) take time to discern.
● Intersectionality describes how multiple identities (e.g., race and gender) interact to
create unique experiences of discrimination or privilege.
● The tension between broad and narrow definitions of diversity emerges: Broad
definitions risk diluting the concept, while narrow definitions may exclude others.
6. The Great Diversity Tension:
● The Great Diversity Tension refers to the ongoing conflict between individual
authenticity and the need for shared norms within groups.
● Optimal Distinctiveness Theory posits that people strive to belong to a group but also
want to maintain their uniqueness, complicating diversity management.
● Norms are essential for cooperation but can stifle individuality and creativity if too rigid.
7. Group vs. Individual Focus:
● Group-focused approaches address systemic issues like historical marginalization but
may overlook individual differences.
● Individual-focused approaches ensure inclusion for everyone but can miss broader
social forces affecting groups.
● The concept of the zero-sum game explains how majority groups may feel that diversity
initiatives come at their expense, creating resistance.
8. Authenticity in the Workplace:
● Authenticity at work leads to better mental health, lower stress, and higher job
satisfaction. However, authenticity without regard for others can hinder cooperation.
● Identity suppression—hiding aspects of oneself to fit in—comes with emotional, social,
and physical costs.
● The concept of covering describes how individuals downplay their differences to avoid
standing out, which can further marginalize minority groups.
9. Diversity and Social Identity:
● Personal identity refers to how individuals see themselves, while social identity
concerns how they relate to and are perceived as part of a group.
● Authentic self: Aligning one's internal identity with external expression is essential for
well-being.
● Exclusion from a social group, or denial of an important identity, can cause
psychological and physical harm, like stress and lowered self-esteem.
,10. Managing Diversity Tensions:
● Diversity management requires organizations to meaningfully include people for who
they are while fostering a sense of togetherness and shared purpose.
● There’s a tension between authenticity and group norms, and the ongoing challenge
is determining who should adjust to whom.
● The balance between autonomy and belongingness is crucial: fostering individuality
while ensuring cooperation within the group.
11. The Dilemma of Categorization:
● Broad categories (e.g., race, gender) may dilute specific group needs, while creating
new categories might increase complexity.
● The dilemma lies in deciding when to stop categorizing and how to find balance between
recognizing differences and maintaining cohesion.
12. Practical Implications for Organizations:
● Organizations must foster authenticity while promoting cooperation among their
members.
● There is no universal solution to diversity management, and it requires constant
reflection to balance inclusiveness with organizational effectiveness.
LECTURE 2
1. Recap from Previous Lecture:
● The concept of the Great Diversity Tension was introduced, focusing on the balance
between authenticity and group norms.
● Discussion covered why people want to be authentic and the challenges posed by
groups in requiring some level of conformity.
● This lecture expands by exploring why groups need conformity and how organizations
should manage these tensions.
2. Exclusion and Social Categorization:
● Exclusion from social categories can cause real harm, both physically and
psychologically.
● Social categorization helps people navigate the world by grouping others, but
categories are not perfect. Broad categories (e.g., sexual orientation, religion) can fail to
capture the full diversity within them.
, ● Solutions to the categorization dilemma include expanding categories or creating new
ones, but both approaches have consequences.
3. Being Yourself and the Diversity Dilemma:
● Being authentic is key to personal well-being but can clash with group norms, leading to
the diversity dilemma: how much of one's authenticity should be expressed in a group
setting.
● Moral character and competence are two core factors groups want to assess in others,
which impacts how people are perceived within a team.
● The challenge lies in balancing authenticity with the need to cooperate within a group.
4. The Great Diversity Tension:
● Groups, by necessity, need some shared reality or common ground to function well.
● This shared ground is formed through shared mental models, values, and norms,
which guide group behavior and facilitate cooperation.
● Norms encourage reciprocal altruism and cooperation. People act in each other's
interest when they expect the same in return, which helps create trust in a group.
5. Social Identity Theory:
● Individuals derive part of their identity from the groups they belong to, creating in-groups
and out-groups.
● In-group favoritism: People naturally prefer and treat in-group members more positively
than out-group members. This tendency can create divisions but also fosters group unity.
● Symbolic threats (e.g., conflicting values) and real threats (e.g., competition for
resources) can lead to out-group derogation, where out-group members are devalued
or discriminated against.
6. Homophily and the Pull Towards Similarity:
● Homophily is the tendency for people to associate with others similar to them in terms
of background, identity, and beliefs.
● This leads to the formation of homogeneous groups, which are groups composed of
individuals who are similar in many respects. While this can increase trust and
cooperation, it can also create barriers to diversity and limit exposure to new
perspectives.
7. Attraction-Selection-Attrition Model:
● This model explains how organizations become more homogeneous over time:
○ Attraction: People are drawn to organizations that reflect their values.
○ Selection: Organizations select individuals who fit their existing culture.
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