Name: in-group bias and scapegoating
Uploaded: 2020-02-12T11:07:45.000Z
Duration: 1 min 31 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

Pennsylvania State Academic Standards

9-12

Life Science

interdependent-relationships-in-ecosystems

Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

3.1.9-12.O

In- and Out-Groups

In a social setting, people often cluster into groups&mdash;whether it&rsquo;s based on a category like gender, or, some special interest.

Such categorization can induce favoritism&nbsp;and emotional connections toward fellow members&mdash;separating the social world into &ldquo;us&rdquo; versus &ldquo;them&rdquo;&mdash;that is, creating an in-group&mdash;the particular unit that individuals identify as belonging to&mdash;versus an out-group&mdash;the set of people who are viewed as fundamentally different.

In this case, everyone&rsquo;s armed with commanding sources of identity and self-esteem within their group, and the strong ties can create in-group biases&mdash;preferences for the connected group over other groups.

As individuals maintain positive self-views, prejudice and discrimination may occur to protect those within the specific in-group.

Consequently, the in-group may then blame the out-group&nbsp;for any misfortunes that they perceive. This concept is called scapegoating&mdash;the act of accusing an out-group when the in-group experiences any annoyance or alleged threat in accomplishing an outcome.

The good news is that social instability can be reconciled between groups. For instance, through deliberate communication, the in-group could recognize and empathize with the experiences of the out-group&nbsp;to stimulate positive change.

in- and out-groups

People all belong to a gender, race, age, and social economic group. These groups provide a powerful source of our identity and self-esteem (Tajfel &amp; Turner, 1979) and serve as&nbsp;our in-groups. An in-group is a group that we identify with or see ourselves as belonging to.

A group that we don&rsquo;t belong to, an out-group, is a group that we view as fundamentally different from us. For example, if you are female, your gender in-group includes all females, and your gender out-group includes all males. People often view gender groups as being fundamentally different from each other in personality traits, characteristics, social roles, and interests.

Because we often feel a strong sense of belonging and emotional connection to our in-groups, we develop in-group bias: a preference for our own group over other groups. This in-group bias can result in prejudice and discrimination because the out-group is perceived as different and is less preferred than our in-group. One function of prejudice is to help us feel good about ourselves and maintain a positive self-concept. This need to feel good about ourselves extends to our in-groups: We want to feel good and protect our in-groups. We seek to resolve threats individually and at the in-group level. This often happens by blaming an out-group for the problem. Scapegoating is the act of blaming an out-group when the in-group experiences frustration or is blocked from obtaining a goal (Allport, 1954).

Despite the group dynamics that seem only to push groups toward conflict, there are forces that promote reconciliation between groups: the expression of empathy, of acknowledgment of past suffering on both sides, and the halt of destructive behaviors.

The Cats and Rabbits in This Video

The cats and rabbits were used as a metaphor here, representing the in- and out-groups of your choice. For instance, if you&#39;re a sports fan, maybe you can think of your team versus an opposing team.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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This text is adapted from <a href="https://cnx.org/contents/Sr8Ev5Og@10.24:nhpI4cUs@13/12-5-Prejudice-and-Discrimination" target="_blank">OpenStax, Psychology. OpenStax CNX.</a>

People all belong to a gender, race, age, and social economic group. These groups provide a powerful source of our identity and self-esteem (Tajfel &amp; ...

Education

JoVE Core

Social Psychology

Sociale psychologie

Foundations of Social Psychology

Grondslagen van de sociale psychologie

Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Stereotypen, vooroordelen en discriminatie

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

BELANGRIJKE TERMEN EN CONCEPTEN

In- en uitgroepen

in-group bias and scapegoating

In-group bias and scapegoating help explain how people react to groups they belong to and groups they see as different. An in-group is a group a person identifies with or feels part of. An out-group is a group a person does not belong to and sees as fundamentally different.

People often use group membership as part of their identity and self-esteem. Gender, race, age, and social economic group can all serve as in-groups. For example, if a person is female, females are the in-group and males are the out-group. People may see gender groups as different in personality traits, social roles, characteristics, and interests.

Because people feel a strong sense of belonging to their in-groups, they can develop in-group bias. This is a preference for their own group over other groups. In-group bias can lead to prejudice and discrimination because the out-group is seen as different and is less preferred.

Prejudice can also help people maintain a positive self-concept. That need to feel good about oneself can extend to the in-group as well. When people feel threatened, they may try to protect their group. One response is scapegoating, which means blaming an out-group when the in-group is frustrated or blocked from reaching a goal.

Not all group conflict stays the same. Some forces can support reconciliation between groups. These include empathy, recognition of past suffering on both sides, and stopping destructive behavior. In this video, cats and rabbits act as a metaphor for the in-groups and out-groups people choose, such as one sports team and an opposing team.

In-Group Bias and Scapegoating

In-group bias and scapegoating help explain how people react to groups they belong to and groups they see as different. An in-group is a group a person identifies with or feels part of. An out-group is a group a person does not belong to and sees as fundamentally different. People often use group membership as part of their identity and self-esteem. Gender, race, age, and social economic group can all serve as in-groups. For example, if a person is female, females are the in-group and males...

stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination

How Bias Shapes Social Group Behavior

Prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination are ways bias can shape how people think and act toward social groups. Social groups help form identity, and people can belong to many groups at once, including gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, social class, religion, sexual orientation, and profession. Differences can be hard for some people to accept, but education, contact, and relationships with other cultural groups can reduce prejudice. Even imagining a positive interaction with someone from...

stereotype content model

Warmth and Competence in Stereotypes

The Stereotype Content Model explains how people judge social groups using two main ideas: warmth and competence. Warmth means a group’s perceived intent, or whether it seems likely to help or cause harm. Competence means the group’s ability to carry out that intent. Susan Fiske and colleagues first proposed this model, and it helps show why first impressions can shape behavior toward other people. The model places stereotypes into four main categories. A group can be low in warmth and low in...

robbers cave

Robbers Cave and Group Conflict

The Robbers Cave study shows how group conflict can grow when teams are forced to compete. In the 1950s, two boys’ groups at an Oklahoma summer camp, called the Rattlers and the Eagles, entered a week-long tournament. As the competition continued, their hostility grew into name-calling, fistfights, vandalism, and damage to property. The study also showed one way to reduce that tension. Researchers used superordinate goals, which are shared goals that groups can only reach by working together.

stereotype threat and self-fulfilling prophecies

stereotype-threat-and-self-fulfilling-prophecies

How Stereotypes Shape Behavior

Stereotypes can shape behavior through self-fulfilling prophecy and confirmation bias. A self-fulfilling prophecy happens when an expectation changes how someone acts, and that behavior helps make the expectation come true. When people hold stereotypes about others, they may treat them in ways that match those expectations. That treatment can then push the other person to act in the same way, which seems to confirm the stereotype. A classic study by Rosenthal and Jacobson in 1968 showed this...

key terms and concepts

Learn how in-groups, out-groups, in-group bias, prejudice, and scapegoating shape group conflict, identity, and reconciliation in social psychology.

In-Group Bias and Scapegoating | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Social Psychology offers a comprehensive learning experience on the principles of social behavior through concise, animated video lessons. The series explores key topics such as self-concept, social cognition, group dynamics, stereotypes, and relationships. It provides a structured foundation for understanding human behavior in social situations. Students gain insights into how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts while examining the psychological processes that influence interactions and judgments. By integrating theory with real-world applications, these lessons offer a clear and engaging approach to mastering essential concepts in social psychology.

social psychology

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3.1.9-12.V

In-Group Bias and Scapegoating

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