My Lips are Sealed: Whistle-blowing as a Function of Collective and Interpersonal Connections to Social Groups

Persons experience attachment to groups because they (a) share those aspects (characteristics, goals, values) that define the group and/or (b) have close relationships with the group members. Two studies examined whether such collective and interpersonal connections affect whistle-blowing (reporting ingroup wrongdoing). We hypothesized that collective connection would promote whistle-blowing via concern for the group’s welfare and interpersonal connection would inhibit whistle-blowing via fear of lost relationships. In Study 1 (N =127) participants listed up to eight ingroups and, for each, rated their collective connection, interpersonal connection, and likelihood of whistle-blowing. In Study 2, participants (N =153) were prompted to think about an ingroup defined by a factorial crossing of collective connection (weak, strong) and interpersonal connection (weak, strong) and rated their likelihood of whistle-blowing. In both studies, whistle-blowing was negatively related to the interpersonal connection and unrelated to the collective connection. Strong interpersonal connections to group members undermine whistle-blowing and facilitate continued ingroup wrongdoing.