ABSTRACT
Avariety of motivations might explain why oneidentifies with a social group (e.g., Brewer, 1991; Deaux, 1996; Hogg & Abrams, 1993). Among the most prominently discussed motives are to gain selfesteem, to reduce uncertainty about oneself, and to fulfill the basic need to belong. For those with mainstream and culturally valued identities, opportunities for group identification are readily available. Yet for those who possess culturally stigmatized identities, especially identities that are concealable from others (Frable, 1993; Jones et al., 1984), this is not the case. Such stigmatized individuals are likely to quite strongly possess all of these central motivations to belong to a group of similar others, but are unable to do so because of the concealable and potentially embarrassing nature of their identity.
