Group identity, social distance and intergroup bias

• Published in: Journal of economic psychology Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 324 - 337
• Main Author: Ahmed, Ali M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2007; Elsevier Science; Elsevier; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Series: Journal of Economic Psychology
• Subjects: Bias; Biological and medical sciences; Business and economics; Decision making; Discrimination; Economic behaviour; Economics; Ekonomi; Experiment; Experiments; Favoritism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Group identity; Groups; Intergroup bias; Intergroup relations; Nationalekonomi; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP; Social distance; Social interactions. Communication. Group processes; Social psychology; SOCIAL SCIENCES; Studies; 2900; Social distance; Discrimination; C9; Experiment; 3000; Intergroup bias; J7; Group identity; Human; Social preference; Interindividual distance; Social perception; Social interaction; Social group; Social belonging; Intergroup relation; Social identity; Groupidentity; Intergroupbias; Socialdistance
• ISSN: 0167-4870; 1872-7719; 1872-7719
• DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2007.01.007

This paper studies how group identity, social distance and intergroup bias may affect economic decision-making. Two types of experimental groupings are created, and subjects are then paired with either an in-group member or an out-group member in a number of two-person games. The result of this experiment shows that out-group members face a risk of being discriminated against. The cause of the discrimination is not hostility toward out-group members; the discrimination is triggered because of higher expectations or favoritism of in-group members. This type of behavior holds, regardless of the grouping procedure.