Tajfel (1970) study on intergroup discrimination

Tajfel (1970)

• The study aimed to demonstrate that categorizing individuals into arbitrary groups can lead to intergroup discrimination, even without competition or conflict.

Methodology

• 64 boys aged 14-15 from a UK comprehensive school participated.
• Participants were randomly assigned to groups based on a seemingly meaningful criterion, like preference for an artist (Klee vs. Kandinsky), but the assignment was random.
• Participants viewed slides of paintings by artists like Klee and Kandinsky, expressing their preferences without knowing the artists' names.
• Boys believed their group assignment was based on art preferences, but it was random.
• Participants allocated money to members of their in-group or the out-group.

Results

• Participants favored their in-group when allocating resources, showing in-group bias despite minimal interaction or competition.
• Arbitrary categorization can induce discrimination, suggesting competition isn't always necessary.

Critique

• The artificial setting might not reflect real-world scenarios.
• There is a lack of ecological validity.
• Groups often form based on shared experiences, interests, or goals, influencing intergroup behavior.
• The study's results may be interpreted as fairness rather than discrimination.
• Some suggest in-group favoritism is a desire for fairness or reciprocity, not discrimination.
• Inducing discrimination raises ethical concerns; researchers must protect participants from harm.

Connection to SIT

• Arbitrary categorization into groups leads to in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination.
• It supports SIT's premise, social categorization is a process in intergroup relations, creating a sense of "us" versus "them".
• The minimal group paradigm shows individuals derive part of their self-concept from group membership
• Social identity is a crucial aspect of self-image, influenced by group membership.
• In-group favoritism in minimal group conditions supports SIT's claim that out-group discrimination enhances in-group status and self-image.

Hilliard and Liben (2010)

• The study aimed to test if increasing gender salience in preschool classrooms leads children to develop more gender-stereotyped attitudes and increased in-group and out-group bias.

Methodology

• 57 children aged 3 to 5 years from two preschools were participants.
• The study employed a field experiment with a quasi-experimental design.
• The independent variable involved gender salience in a natural setting, like a preschool classroom, to observe its effect on dependent variables (gender attitudes and intergroup bias).
• The study demonstrated high Ecological Validity.
• There were quantitative measures (gender attitude tests) and observational data
• Children were divided into two conditions based on their school: high-gender-salience and low-gender-salience.
• Children lined up by gender, and gender-specific terminology was used to enforce gender salience Children's gender attitudes and intergroup bias were assessed before, during, and after a two-week period using measures like the Preschool Observation of Activities and Tasks (POAT-AM)

Results

• Children in the high-salience condition showed more gender-stereotyped attitudes at the end of the study compared to the beginning.
• Children exhibited increased gender stereotypes, showing that they were more likely to play with kids of their own gender
• Children in the high-salience condition were less likely to choose mixed-sex peers for play, indicating increased out-group rejection rather than increased in-group preference.

Critique

• Observations found that children in the high-salience condition were less likely to engage in mixed-sex play compared to those in the low-salience condition.
• Findings might not generalize to other cultural or educational contexts where gender norms and socialization differ.
• The study primarily focused on observational data and did not explore factors influencing children's gender attitudes, such as parental influence or media exposure.

Study strengths and limitations

• The study provides strong evidence for how social categorization influences intergroup attitudes, aligning with SIT's predictions.
• Its focus on a specific age group and context might limit its generalizability to other categories or ages, which is a common critique of SIT studies.

Connection to SIT

• Making gender salient causes children to categorize themselves and others into gender groups.
• This aligns with SIT's premise that social categorization is a process in intergroup relations, where individuals categorize themselves and others into groups, creating a sense of "us" versus "them".
• The study indirectly supports SIT's notion of social comparison, where individuals compare their in-group favorably to out-groups to maintain a positive social identity.

Connection to enculturation

• This study demonstrates how environmental cues, such as emphasizing gender differences, can influence culturally acceptable behavior.
• There is alignment with enculturation, which involves learning and internalizing the norms and values of one's culture.
• This is a form of socialization that occurs through relationships.
• Behaviors can shape children's attitudes (e.g., using gender-specific language), illustrating how enculturation influences behavior through social interactions.
• Enculturation affects behavior by shaping individuals' understanding of appropriate behaviors within their culture.
• The study's findings that children in the high-gender-salience condition exhibiting more gender-stereotyped attitudes and behaviors demonstrate how enculturation can influence behavior through the transmission of cultural norms.

Connection to formation of stereotypes

• By making gender more salient, children may perceive the out-group (the opposite sex) as more homogeneous, which is key in forming stereotypes.
• Individuals perceive members of the out-group as similar to each other than they are, facilitating stereotypes.
• Children in the high-gender-salience condition showed increased stereotypes and less positive ratings of other-sex peers, reflecting how social identity leads to stereotypes.
• This indicates a critical component in stereotypes as individuals show in-group favoritism.
• Emphasizing gender categories leads children to categorize themselves and others more strongly into gender groups.
• Social categorization is a fundamental step in the formation of stereotypes, dividing the world into in-groups and out-groups.