Social categorization and group-motivated interindividual-intergroup discontinuity

Author(s)
Robert Böhm, Klaus Rothermund, Oliver Kirchkamp
Abstract

Research on the interindividual–intergroup discontinuity effect has demonstrated that intergroup relations are often less cooperative than interindividual relations. The aim of the present paper is to test whether mere social categorization suffices to create a group‐motivated discontinuity effect. In two experiments, we manipulated actors' personal versus social identity salience, whereas controlling for actors' outcome independence (1 : 1) versus interdependence (3 : 3). Making actors' social identity salient using a minimal group treatment was sufficient to increase defection in a Prisoner's Dilemma Game, irrespective of whether this was in an interindividual or intergroup interaction (Experiment 1). Using a Mutual Fate Control matrix in Experiment 2, results indicate that this effect can be attributed to actors' increased motivation to maximize relative differences to outgroup opponents under social identity salience.

Organisation(s)
External organisation(s)
Universität Erfurt, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Journal
European Journal of Social Psychology
Volume
43
Pages
40-49
ISSN
0046-2772
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.1923
Publication date
2013
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
501021 Social psychology
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/social-categorization-and-groupmotivated-interindividualintergroup-discontinuity(91b8029c-4498-4421-8505-7bf946863f4d).html