Outgroup Rejection – Revised (OR-R)

Abstract

The Outgroup Rejection – Revised (OR-R) is an 8-item self-report instrument developed by Postmes and Branscombe in 2002. This scale is designed to quantify the degree to which individuals belonging to a minority group perceive themselves as targets of racial prejudice, discrimination, and societal rejection. The measure specifically taps into feelings of being personally victimized, viewed according to negative stereotypes, and deprived of opportunities solely due to one’s racial identity. It serves as a crucial tool in social psychology research for assessing the subjective experience of racial stigma and its psychological consequences.

Keywords

Outgroup Rejection, Perceived discrimination, Racial victimization, Social psychology, Group identity, Stigma, African-Americans, Postmes and Branscombe.

Authors

T. Postmes, N. R. Branscombe

Purpose

The primary purpose of the OR-R scale is to empirically measure the subjective experience of racial rejection emanating from the majority or societal Outgroup. It was developed to specifically investigate how the long-term racial composition of an individual’s environment influences their sense of well-being and their identification with their own racial group.

By focusing on personal experiences of prejudice and systemic deprivation, the scale allows researchers to isolate the effects of perceived discrimination from other generalized stressors, providing a precise metric for understanding the psychological impact of being a victim of racial bias in society.

Construct

The OR-R measures the psychological construct of Perceived Outgroup Rejection. This construct encompasses the belief that one is systematically treated unfairly, viewed negatively, or denied resources and opportunities because of their racial group membership. It is a measure of external threat and perceived unfairness rather than an internal measure of self-esteem or pathology.

The scale items cover several facets of this construct, including feelings of being a personal victim, being subjected to racial stereotypes, and experiencing overall societal discrimination. This focus makes the OR-R highly relevant for studies examining racial identity, group cohesion, and coping mechanisms related to minority stress.

Validity

The initial validation of the OR-R is documented in the 2002 seminal paper by Postmes and Branscombe. The scale demonstrated strong construct validity, showing expected correlations with measures of group identification and psychological well-being. Individuals reporting higher levels of outgroup rejection often exhibited corresponding negative psychological outcomes, confirming the scale’s theoretical foundations.

Further empirical support for the scale’s validity was provided in subsequent research, notably the 2006 PhD dissertation by David M. Tom, which utilized the OR-R to distinguish between distinct psychological pathways resulting from perceived discrimination (rejection versus identification). This continued usage in academic research underscores its accepted validity within the field of social psychology.

Reliability

The reliability of the Outgroup Rejection – Revised scale is generally considered high, as is typical for well-developed measures published in leading psychology journals. While specific internal consistency scores (such as Cronbach’s Alpha) are detailed in the primary source (Postmes & Branscombe, 2002), the 8 items are structured to coherently measure the single dimension of perceived rejection, suggesting strong internal consistency.

Factor Analysis

The OR-R is typically conceptualized and analyzed as a unidimensional scale. Factor analysis procedures generally indicate that all eight items load strongly onto a single underlying factor, which represents the overall intensity of perceived outgroup rejection. This structure supports the scale’s use as a cumulative measure where a single total score can accurately represent the level of perceived racial victimization experienced by the respondent.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report inventory

Format: 8 items utilizing a 7-point Likert scale

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Racial minority groups

Age Group: Adults (typically college age and older)

Population Details: Primarily validated using samples of African-Americans in the context of studying racial environmental composition.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement with each statement. Scoring requires reverse-coding for Item 7, followed by summing or averaging the responses to obtain a total score of perceived rejection.

Keywords

Racial discrimination, Victimization, Social rejection, Group membership, Perceived discrimination, Outgroup, Identity threat, Social identity.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not provided in source data.

Affiliation Email addresses: Refer to the Postmes and Branscombe (2002) article for corresponding author details.

Correspondence Address: Refer to the Postmes and Branscombe (2002) article for institutional addresses.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Outgroup Rejection – Revised (OR-R) was developed and published in 2002. As a published psychological measure, researchers intending to use the scale for non-commercial academic purposes should consult the American Psychological Association (APA) and the original authors, T. Postmes and N. R. Branscombe, regarding usage permissions. No specific fee structure is publicly documented for academic research use.

Reference’s

• Postmes, T. & Branscombe, N. R. (2002). Influence of long-term racial environmental composition on subject well-being in African-Americans. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(3), 735-751.

• Tom, David M. (2006). Effects of perceived discrimination: rejection and identification as two distinct pathways and their associated effects. Ohio State University. PhD dissertation. The instrument can be found within this dissertation, which is accessible here: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1135887227.

Items of the Outgroup Rejection – Revised (OR-R)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. I feel like I am personally a victim of society because of my race.
2. I consider myself a person who has been deprived of opportunities because of my race.
3. I feel that I have been the target of prejudice because of my race.
4. I have personally been a victim of racial discrimination
5. I feel that society treats me according to racial stereotypes
6. I think that society views me as inferior because of my race
7. Society does not discriminate against me because of my race [recoded]
8. I am viewed negatively because of my race

Response Scale: 1=strongly disagree, 2=moderately disagree, 3=somewhat disagree, 4=neutral, 5=somewhat agree, 6=moderately agree, 7=strongly agree