2026/01/16 by Trystan Loustau, Liane Young · 1 voice
Social Sciences · Neuroscience · #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment #Crime, Deviance, and Social Control
paper · pdf · doi:10.3390/bs16010126
openalex publication_date 2026/01/16 · openalex created_date 2026/01/17 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Deviance poses a fundamental challenge for groups: while it can threaten cohesion and invite moral condemnation, it can also express deep commitment to shared principles. The present research examines how loyalty shapes perceptions of constructive deviance through the case of Republicans for Harris (RHs) during the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Across three time points, we compared how deviants (RHs, N = 89) perceived themselves to how they were viewed by mainstream ingroup members (Republicans for Trump; RTs, N = 340) and outgroup members (Democrats; N = 294). Results revealed marked asymmetries: RTs viewed RHs as less loyal, less prototypical, and more likely to defect than RHs saw themselves. All groups, including mainstream ingroup members, outgroup members, and deviants themselves, felt warmer toward deviants they perceived as more loyal and prototypical. These findings suggest that constructive deviants maintain positive self-views by construing their actions as expressions of fidelity to, rather than rejection of, the group.