Social Perception as Induction and Inference: An Integrative Model of Intergroup Differentiation, Ingroup Favoritism, and Differential Accuracy

• Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology 2011, Vol.100 (1), p.66-83
• Main Authors: DIDONATO, Theresa E, ULLRICH, Johannes, KRUEGER, Joachim I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Biological and medical sciences; Cognition & reasoning; Differences; Favoritism; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Group dynamics; Human; Humans; In-group; Induction; Ingroup Outgroup; Ingroup-Outgroup differentiation; Intergroup differentiation; Intergroup Dynamics; Intergroup Relations; Male; Models, Psychological; Perceptions; Projection; Psychological Theories; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Self image; Selfimage; Social attribution, perception and cognition; Social Behavior; Social differentiation; Social Identification; Social interactions. Communication. Group processes; Social Perception; Social psychology; Stereotyped Attitudes; Stereotypes; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-3514; 1939-1315
• DOI: 10.1037/a0021051

Three general properties of social stereotypes are the perception of differences between ingroups and outgroups (intergroup differentiation), the perception of ingroups as having more desirable attributes than outgroups (ingroup favoritism), and the greater accuracy of ingroup perceptions (differential accuracy). We present and test an inductive-reasoning model that accounts for all 3 phenomena, and we explicate the relations among them. Based on empirical evidence, the model assumes that most people have a positive self-image, that they project these self-images more strongly to ingroups than to outgroups, and that their self-images are valid cues for judgments about social groups. Two minimal-group experiments using a crossed-categorization paradigm support the model and provide new evidence for underlying psychological processes.