Harnessing the diffusion effect to catalyze youth leadership identity formation in India

• In Event: Roundtable Session (Tuesday III)
  In Refereed Round-Table Session: Putting youth at the center of youth development: Lessons learned from youth engagement

Proposal

Introduction
The diffusion effect is utilized as a mechanism for sustainable growth by development initiatives operating in a wide range of contexts and sectors. Moerer-Urdahl & Creswell (2004) define the diffusion effect as a “long-term, multiplying investment” (p. 20). But what conditions are necessary for the diffusion effect to work? This paper addresses this question by taking up the example of Neta Academy-- a selective all-girls secondary school in Maharashtra, India, which seeks to catalyze leadership identity formation in adolescent girls in the surrounding community and, eventually, throughout India. This example is examined from the perspective of two theories-- social identity theory and self-perception theory-- in order to identify several conditions required for the diffusion effect to operate successfully.

Social Identity Theory
Social identity theory posits that individuals develop identities based on the groups to which they belong. In order for an individual to identify with a group, they must (1) recognize that they are a member of that group, and (2) become emotionally invested in their group membership and its social evaluation (Tajfel, 1982). Once an individual identifies with a group, their membership becomes a part of their self-concept, or social identity (Tajfel, 1982; Wenger, 2000), and influences intergroup behavior (Sheriff, 1966).

Intergroup conflict can be fueled by a variety of factors, including the perceived (il)legitimacy of the social categorization, the potential for social mobility, and the availability of “goods” for which the groups are competing (Tajfel, 1982; Tajfel & Turner, 1979). Tajfel & Turner (1979) lay out three typical reactions to situations of threatened social identity: (1) Individuals will attempt to change their group membership, (2) they will attempt to change the values assigned to distinctive group characteristics, and/or (3) groups will engage in “social competition.”

When applied to the case of Neta, social identity theory sheds light on the identity formation process and intergroup dynamics of Neta girls and their non-Neta peers. Tajfel’s (1982) conditions for social identity formation suggest that school membership may be a salient social identifier among girls in this community because (1) there is a clear distinction between who is and is not a Neta student, and (2) being a Neta student is socially valuable, given the school’s well-resourced campus and highly qualified faculty. The relationship between these two groups will therefore be mediated by the perceived (il)legitimacy of Neta’s admissions process, the potential for non-Neta students to become Neta students, and the distribution of prestige among schools in the city. In this case, the relatively low chance of mobility (given Neta’s selective admissions process) and the school’s social prestige make intergroup conflict more likely to occur. In response, non-Neta students will either try to enroll in Neta and/or compete, rather than collaborate, in establishing a leadership identity for their own group.

Self-Perception Theory
Self-perception theory postulates that “we are what we do.” Because humans are unable to interpret their internal states, they must look to their behaviors to determine what they believe and how they feel (Bem, 1972). This theory explains why the foot-in-the-door technique-- which assumes that complying with a small request increases the likelihood of complying with similar requests in the future-- is an effective strategy for shaping individuals’ self-identity (Freedman & Fraser, 1966).

Building on self-perception theory, vicarious self-perception theory suggests that when individuals observe others with whom they closely identify behave in a certain way, the former will apply the inferences that they make about the latter’s attitudes and attributes to themselves (Goldstein & Cialdini, 2007). This points to the possibility of a vicarious foot-in-the-door effect, whereby seeing a “close other” perform a small task motivates the observer to perform a similar, more significant task.

Applying self-perception theory to the case of Neta suggests that it is only when girls act as leaders that they will begin to see themselves as leaders. It is not enough for the school to empower students and send them into their communities to be observed and emulated; rather, Neta girls must actively engage non-Neta girls in leadership development opportunities. Leveraging the foot-in-the-door technique by encouraging non-Neta girls to take on scaffolded leadership responsibilities may be a particularly effective way of cultivating their leadership identity and preparing them to take on larger leadership roles in the future.

That said, vicarious self-perception theory and vicarious foot-in-the-door effect complicate these conclusions, by implying that role modeling could function as a passive process if non-Neta girls identify with Neta girls. This suggests a possible overlap between social identity theory and self-perception theory, as discussed below.

Implications
The success of the diffusion effect for sustainable development hinges on several factors, including the reputation of Neta and its students, the school's recruitment and admissions processes, the relationships between Neta and non-Neta girls, and the ways in which the former engage the latter in leadership development opportunities. These factors suggest several considerations and questions that Neta, its students, and schools with a similar mission should keep in mind as they seek to maximize their positive impact on local communities:

1. In line with vicarious self-perception theory, Neta could choose to focus its efforts on cultivating a shared social identity among its students and their non-Neta peers.

2. Self-perception theory suggests that active engagement is a more promising path to leadership identity formation than passive role modeling. Opportunities for collaboration between Neta and non-Neta girls should therefore be built into the school structure, curriculum, and ethos.

3. If Neta girls are to catalyze leadership identity formation in their peers, then it is crucial that they develop a strong leadership identity and capacity themselves. As Moerer-Urdahl & Creswell (2004) remind us, “If the mentor’s capital is not equal to or greater than the mentee’s needs, the relationship can never be a total success. Concern for the welfare of others does not by itself bring about favorable development” (p. 30). Thus, Neta must prioritize developing a robust leadership program for its students and should not encourage them to mentor others until their own leadership mindset and skills are firmly established.

4. Finally, it is important to remember that every relationship and interaction has the potential to be mutually transformative (Moerer-Urdahl & Creswell, 2004). Indeed, the very term “diffusion effect” may be misleading, belying a process that is more circular and complex than we currently acknowledge.

Author

• Taylor Hausburg, University of Pennsylvania