Racioethnic Diversity and Group Members’ Experiences

Abstract

This study examines the effects of a group’s racioethnic diversity on its members’ experiences in two organizational contexts: one that is relatively heterogeneous in racioethnicity and another that is more homogeneous. Additionally, this study examines the effects of diversity on the deeper level trait of collectivism, in both contexts. The authors propose that the extent of racioethnic diversity in the organizational context will determine whether group members pay attention and react to racioethnic category differences or focus on deeper level differences in values and attitudes within their groups. Consistent with this notion, it was found that a group’s racioethnic diversity has stronger negative effects on its members’ experiences in the more homogeneous context than in the more heterogeneous one. The authors also found that a group’s diversity in collectivism has significant negative effects on its members’ experiences in the more heterogeneous context but not in the more homogeneous one.