IN-GROUP BIAS AND FAIR-MINDEDNESS IN INTERGROUP PERCEPTION : AN ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF INTERGROUP CONTEXTS

Abstract

Chinese participants (N = 336) between the ages of 13 and 17 were assigned to one of the seven intergroup contexts. These contexts were the seven possible combinations of three out-groups (Eurasian, Malay, and Indian). An in-group stimulus person (Chinese) was included in all contexts to allow for comparisons between the in-group and out-group members. The main goal was to show a compromise between the norms of fair-mindedness and discrimination in intergroup perception. Furthermore, the strategy of compromise was hypothesized to be dynamic across intergroup contexts. In other words, fair-mindedness could take on several forms, namely, total assimilation, a tendency toward assimilation, and nonnegative ratings of the out-group. Results showed a dynamic perception of the outgroup stimulus persons across intergroup contexts. Also, the two norms operated concurrently in most intergroup contexts, and the norm of fair-mindedness did take different forms. The strengths of the study reported lies in utilizing all seven possible intergroup contexts within any single study and in counterbalancing the orders of presentation of the stimulus persons and the response measures in each intergroup context. Results obtained led to the conclusion that intergroup perception is a compromise between the norms of in-group bias and fair-mindedness.