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

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;

&nbsp;

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

Foundations of Social Psychology

Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

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

What is an Ecosystem?

Overview

An ecosystem is the interaction between all abiotic and biotic factors in an environment and can be classified as terrestrial or aquatic. ...

Trophic Levels

All organisms in an ecosystem occupy a trophic level in the food chain. The lowest level consists of primary producers, which synthesize their food from ...

Primary Production

The total amount of energy acquired by primary producers in an ecosystem is called gross primary production (GPP). However, of this energy, producers use ...

Production Efficiency

Net production efficiency (NPE) is the efficiency at which organisms assimilate energy into biomass for the next trophic level. Due to low metabolic rates ...

Trophic Efficiency

Trophic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) is a measure of the total energy transfer from one trophic level to the next. Due to extensive energy loss as ...

Life Histories

Constrained by limited energy and resources, organisms must compromise between offspring quantity and parental investment. This trade-off is represented ...

Energy Budgets and Reproductive Strategies

Organisms must balance energy intake with the energy required for growth, maintenance, and reproduction. These trade-offs result in a variety of ...

Population Growth

Population size is dynamic, increasing with birth rates and immigration, and decreasing with death rates and emigration. In ideal conditions with ...

Ecological Niches

All organisms have a position within an ecosystem. The complete set of living and nonliving factors&#x2014;including food resources, climate, and ...

Ecological Succession

Ecological succession is influenced by the processes of facilitation, inhibition, and toleration. Facilitation occurs when early successional species ...

Keystone Species

Measures of species biodiversity, such as richness (i.e., the number of species present) and evenness (i.e., their relative abundance), describe an ...

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those ...

Competition

When organisms require the same limited resources within an environment, they may have to compete for them. Competition is a net-negative interaction. ...

Predator-Prey Interactions

Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction ...

Ecological Disturbance

An ecological disturbance is a temporary disruption in the environment resulting from abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic factors, causing a pronounced ...

Students who demonstrate understanding can use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.  Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include deriving mathematical equations to make comparisons.

3.1.9-12.I

What are Populations and Communities?

Populations are groups of individuals of the same species that inhabit a shared environment. Communities include multiple co-existing, interacting ...

Distribution and Dispersion

Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with their environment and with one another. An important aspect of ecology is understanding where species ...

Students who demonstrate understanding can use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales. Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to provided data.

3.1.9-12.L

Students who demonstrate understanding can evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem. Assessment Boundary: N/A

3.1.9-12.M

What is Weather?

Overview

Weather refers to the current state of atmospheric conditions at a specific time and place. Weather is temporary and is influenced by the ...

What is Climate?

Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, &#x201C;Climate is what you expect. ...

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global ...

Conservation of Declining Populations

Conservation of declining population focuses on ways of detecting, diagnosing, and halting a population decline. The approach uses methods to prevent ...

Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land ...

What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity describes the variety of living things at multiple organizational levels: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Species diversity ...

Threats to Biodiversity

There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species ...

Biodiversity and Human Values

Human civilization relies on biodiversity in many ways. Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather ...

What is Conservation Biology?

Conservation biology is a scientific field that focuses on the preservation of biodiversity in order to protect ecosystems while meeting the needs of the ...

Sustainable Development

As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet&#x2019;s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a ...

Conservation of Small Populations

Small population sizes put a species at extreme risk of extinction due to a lack of variation, and a consequent decrease in adaptability. This weakens ...

Externalities

Externalities are outcomes of economic activities that affect third parties who are not directly involved in it. These impacts can be either positive or ...

Private Cost and Benefit

Private cost is the expenses a business incurs while producing a good or the price paid by an individual in purchasing a good.
For example, consider a ...

Social Cost and Benefit

Private costs and benefits are the financial impacts on individuals or businesses directly involved in a transaction.
However, when an additional unit of ...

Negative Externalities

A negative externality is a cost suffered by an unrelated third party due to an economic transaction.
The costs created by negative externalities are not ...

Positive Externalities

Positive externalities occur when a third party benefits from an economic transaction without being directly involved.
Take vaccines as an example. When ...

The Efficient Level of Pollution

Producing goods often results in pollution as a byproduct, but eliminating all pollution isn&#39;t practical. Doing so would mean halting the production ...

spatial-multiobjective-optimization-agricultural-conservation

Spatial Multiobjective Optimization of Agricultural Conservation Practices using a SWAT Model and an Evolutionary Algorithm

Finding the cost-efficient (i.e., lowest-cost) ways of targeting conservation practice investments for the achievement of specific water quality goals ...

watershed-planning-within-a-quantitative-scenario-analysis-framework

Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework

There is a critical need for tools and methodologies capable of managing aquatic systems within heavily impacted watersheds. Current efforts often fall ...

Students who demonstrate understanding can design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. Assessment Boundary: N/A

3.1.9-12.N

Group Behavior

Life in a Population
Organisms in populations interact with one another in complex ways, where individuals compete for resources such as food, shelter, ...

Creating Materials for the Hawk-Dove Game and Trading Exercise
ExpandUse card stock paper to create a set of two cards for each student, and label one ...

The Hawk-Dove Game
ExpandNOTE: In this activity, you will play the hawk and dove game with a single partner and then with multiple partners to observe ...

Social Facilitation

Not all intergroup interactions lead to&nbsp;negative outcomes.&nbsp;Sometimes, being in a group situation can improve performance. Social ...

Social Loafing

Another way in which a group presence can affect&nbsp;performance is social loafing&mdash;the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a ...

Group Polarization

Group polarization is&nbsp;the strengthening of an original group attitude following&nbsp;the discussion of views within a group (Teger &amp; Pruitt, ...

Groupthink

When in group settings, we are often influenced by the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors around us. Groupthink is another phenomenon of conformity where ...

Deindividuation

Deindividuation is a form of social influence on an individual&rsquo;s behavior such that the individual engages in unusual or non-normal behavior while ...

Students who demonstrate understanding can evaluate the evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species' chances to survive and reproduce. Assessment Boundary: N/A

Understanding Species and Reproductive Barriers

A species is a group of organisms that interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Typically, individuals of the same species appear similar and share ...

Formation of Species

Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the ...

Speciation Rates

Speciation can proceed at markedly different rates, and evolutionary biologists commonly describe these differences through the models of gradualism and ...

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species&#x2014;groups of reproductively isolated populations.The ...

Hybrid Zones

Hybrid zones are narrow regions where two closely related species interact, mate, and produce hybrids. Relative to either parent species, hybrids may ...

Correlation of Experimental Data

A key use of dimensional analysis is to efficiently manage, interpret, and correlate experimental data.
Dimensional analysis alone cannot fully solve a ...

Modeling and Similitude

A scaled model of a dam is tested in a controlled environment to observe how it will manage water flow, turbulence, and pressure.
This setup predicts the ...

Typical Model Studies

Typical model studies analyze scaled-down systems to predict fluid behavior, focusing on interactions with free surfaces and flow around immersed bodies.
...

design-example-creating-a-hydraulic-model-of-a-dam-spillway

Design Example: Creating a Hydraulic Model of a Dam Spillway

A hydraulic model of a dam spillway is often created by scaling down the design, typically to a 1:15 ratio, to replicate key flow characteristics such as ...

Students who demonstrate understanding can create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. Assessment Boundary: N/A

3.1.9-12.V

In-Group Bias and Scapegoating

Description

Transcript

Tags

More videos by Standards