When different means worse: In-group prototypicality in changing intergroup contexts

Date

2005

Authors

Wenzel, Michael
Mummendey, Amelie
Waldzus, Sven

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Academic Press

Abstract

An experiment with 213 participants provided evidence for in-group projection-the generalization of distinctive in-group attributes to a superordinate category. The frame of reference for in-group (German) judgments was manipulated by presenting either Italians or the British as an out-group. Results showed that attributes on which Germans differed from each out-group were accentuated not only in in-group judgments but also when judging Europeans. By adapting features of the superordinate category to those of the in-group, the in-group's similarity to, and the out-group's deviation from, the prototype of the superordinate category were maintained, if not emphasized. Further, higher in-group prototypicality-compared to out-group prototypicality-for the superordinate category was related to negative out-group attitudes. In-group projection was reduced when a complex representation of the superordinate category was primed.

Description

Keywords

Keywords: In-group projection; Intergroup relations; Relative prototypicality; Superordinate category

Citation

Source

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

Type

Journal article

Book Title

Entity type

Access Statement

License Rights

Restricted until

2037-12-31