Ingroups and outgroups

Ingroups and outgroups

In sociology and social psychology, ingroups and outgroups are social groups to which an individual feels as though he or she belongs as a member, or (for outgroups) to which they feel contempt, opposition, or a desire to compete. People tend to hold positive attitudes towards members of their own groups, a phenomenon known as ingroup bias. The term originates from social identity theory which grew out of the work of social psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner. Using a method called the minimal group paradigm, Tajfel and colleagues discovered that people can form ingroups, as well as outgroups within a matter of minutes. Such groups can form even on the basis of seemingly trivial characteristics, such as preferences for certain paintings.[1] Tajfel and colleagues' experiments also demonstrate that people are likely to privilege ingroup members (e.g. by awarding them more points or money), even when groups have been formed on trivial characteristics. Members of outgroups may be subject to outgroup homogeneity biases.

In evolutionary psychology, ingroup favoritism is seen as an evolved mechanism selected for the advantages of coalition affiliation.[2] Elements of favoritism are flexible in that they can be erased by social categorization manipulations.[3] Other components appear less flexible, or even essential - for instance this has been claimed for sex and ethnicity.[4][5] A biological basis for these multiple systems for favoritism is indicated by behavior genetic research.[6]

Most people belong to multiple social groups. Commonly encountered ingroup members include family as well as people of the same race, culture, gender and religion. Research demonstrates that people often privilege ingroup members over outgroup members even when the ingroup has no actual social standing.

See also

References

  1. ^ Social Identity and Intergroup Behavior,
  2. ^ L. Cosmides, J. Tooby and R. Kurzban. (2003). Perceptions of race. Trends Cogn Sci, 7, 173-179. S1364661303000573
  3. ^ R. Kurzban, J. Tooby and L. Cosmides. (2001). Can race be erased? Coalitional computation and social categorization. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, 98, 15387-92. 10.1073/pnas.251541498
  4. ^ L. Hirschfeld. (1996). Race in the Making. Journal.
  5. ^ F. J. Gil-White. (2001). Are ethnic groups biological "species" to the human brain? Essentialism in our cognition of some social categories. Current Anthropology, 42, 515-554.
  6. ^ G. J. Lewis and T. C. Bates. (2010). Genetic Evidence for Multiple Biological Mechanisms Underlying Ingroup Favoritism. Psychological Science, 21, 1623-1628. 10.1177/0956797610387439


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