This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Flippen, A. R. Articles by Weitzman, E. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Flippen, A. R. Articles by Weitzman, E. A. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

A Comparison of Similarity and Interdependence as Triggers for In-Group Formation

Teachers College, Columbia University

Harvey A. Hornstein

Teachers College, Columbia University

William E. Siegal

Teachers College, Columbia University

Eben A. Weitzman

University of Massachusetts-Boston

In four experiments, subjects were informed of a threat from various sources to members of a social category to which they belonged. They were also given the opportunity to help a target person. The results of the first two experiments showed that in-group bias occurred only when the threat was from a social source rather than a nonsocial source or when there was no threat. The third experiment showed that the bias favored only those similar on the threatened category rather than those similar on another non-threatened category. The fourth experiment showed that when subjects knew the source of the threat, the bias was against only members of the threatening group, even when the threat was attributed to similar others. These findings indicate that interdependence resulting from a shared threat, rather than similarity alone, seems to play a key role in the formation of in-group boundaries.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Levine, A. Prosser, D. Evans, and S. Reicher Identity and Emergency Intervention: How Social Group Membership and Inclusiveness of Group Boundaries Shape Helping Behavior Pers Soc Psychol Bull, April 1, 2005; 31(4): 443 - 453. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. B. Henry, H. Arrow, and B. Carini A Tripartite Model of Group Identification: Theory and Measurement Small Group Research, October 1, 1999; 30(5): 558 - 581. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. R. Flippen Understanding Groupthink from a Self-Regulatory Perspective Small Group Research, April 1, 1999; 30(2): 139 - 165. [Abstract] [PDF]