Social identity, relative group status and intergroup attitudes: when favourable outcomes change intergroup relations…for the worse

• Published in: European journal of social psychology Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 739 - 760
• Main Authors: Guimond, Serge, Dif, Stéphane, Aupy, Annabelle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01-11-2002; Wiley
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Intergroup relations; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Social behaviour; Social identity; Social interactions. Communication. Group processes; Social psychology; Social relations; Human; Social preference; Social attitude; Social status; Social group; Social interaction; Personality; Social belonging; Intergroup relation; Social identity; Cognitive bias; Social cognition
• ISSN: 0046-2772; 1099-0992
• DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.118

This study examines in a natural setting (N = 253) the effects of favourable outcomes at the individual and group levels on the relations between members of high (nondisabled) and low (disabled) status groups. Consistent with past research, the results show that, overall, high‐status group members are more likely than low‐status group members to display ingroup bias. Furthermore, as hypothesized on the basis of the role of relative gratification in intergroup relations, a favourable group outcome led high‐status group members to derogate the low‐status outgroup. On the other hand, as predicted from the assumption that outgroup favouritism reflects a strategy of individual mobility, a favourable individual outcome led low‐status group members to display an evaluative bias in favour of, and to identify with, the high‐status outgroup. The implications of these findings for the explanation of outgroup favouritism and outgroup derogation are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.