Research article summary (published 30 Aug 2008):

Fail or flourish? Cognitive appraisal moderates the effect of solo status on performance.

Full Abstract

When everyone in a group shares a common social identity except one individual, the one who is different from the majority has solo status. Solo status increases one's visibility and performance pressure, which may result in stress. Stress has divergent effects on performance, and individuals' response to stressful situations is predicted by their cognitive appraisal (challenge or threat) of the situation. Two experiments test the hypothesis that cognitive appraisal moderates the effect of solo status on performance. Experiment 1 finds that at relatively high appraisal levels (resources exceed demands), solo status improves men's and women's performance; at relatively low appraisal levels, solo status hurts performance. Experiment 2 replicates this effect for solo status based on minimal group assignment. Results suggest that for individuals who feel challenged and not threatened by their work, it may help to be a solo.

Author information

Author/s: White, Judith B (JB);

Affiliation: Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, Hannover, NH 03755, USA. judith.b.white(-atsign-)dartmouth.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Personality and social psychology bulletin (Pers Soc Psychol Bull), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Sep; vol 34 (issue 9) : pp 1171-84

Dates: Created 2008/08/05; Completed 2008/12/03;

PMID: 18678859, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Achievement Adaptation, Psychological Affect Awareness Culture Female Gender Identity Humans

Individuality Male Mathematics Mental Recall Problem Solving Social Conformity Social Identification Stereotyping

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