Skip to main content
Search
Search
    Quick Search anywhere
    Quick search in Citations
Advanced Search
Skip main navigationClose Drawer MenuOpen Drawer Menu
Previous article
Next article
Original Article

The Impact of Group Entitativity on Linguistic Discrimination

Ingroup Favoritism and Outgroup Derogation in the Explanation of Negative Outcome Allocations

Published Online:September 15, 2011https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000071

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of minimal group entitativity on linguistic ingroup favoritism and outgroup derogation. Group entitativity varied across three conditions: mere categorization, spatial separation of groups, and common fate. Participants described with spontaneous language negative outcome allocations performed either by ingroup or by outgroup members. Findings showed that linguistic discrimination was not elicited by mere categorization and occurred only in the common fate condition. Group entitativity mainly affected linguistic outgroup derogation. This study adds to the evidence of linguistic discrimination in minimal groups and shows the strength of a linguistic measure in disentangling the different components of intergroup bias.

References

  • Blanz, M. , Mummendey, A. , Otten, S. (1997). Normative evaluations and frequency expectations regarding positive versus negative outcome allocations between groups. European Journal of Social Psychology, 27, 165–176. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Brewer, M. B. (1979). In-group bias in the minimal intergroup situation: A cognitive-motivational analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 17, 475–482. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Brewer, M. B. (1999). The psychology of prejudice: Ingroup love or outgroup hate? Journal of Social Issues, 55, 429–444. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Brewer, M. B. (2007). The importance of being We: Human nature and intergroup relations. American Psychologist, 62, 738–751. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Brown, R. J. (2000). Social identity theory: Past achievements, current problems and future challenges. European Journal of Social Psychology, 30, 745–778. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Campbell, D. T. (1958). Common fate, similarity and other indexes of the status of aggregates of persons as social entities. Behavioral Science, 3, 14–25. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Castano, E. , Yzerbyt, V. , Bourguignon, D. (2003). We are one and I like it: The impact of ingroup entitativity on ingroup identification. European Journal of Social Psychology, 33, 735–754. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Douglas, K. M. , Sutton, R. M. (2003). Effects of communication goals and expectancies on language abstraction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 682–696. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Franco, F. M. , Maass, A. (1999). Intentional control over prejudice: When the choice of the measure matters. European Journal of Social Psychology, 29, 469–477. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Gaertner, L. , Schopler, J. (1998). Perceived ingroup entitativity and intergroup bias: An interconnection of self and others. European Journal of Social Psychology, 28, 963–980. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Lickel, B. , Hamilton, D. L , Lewis, A. , Sherman, S. J. , Wieczorkowska, G. , Uhles, A. N. (2000). Varieties of group and the perception of group entitativity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 223–246. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Maass, A. (1999). Linguistic intergroup bias: Stereotypes-perpetuation through language. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 31, 79–131. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Maass, A. , Castelli, L. , Arcuri, L. (2000). Measuring prejudice: Implicit versus explicit techniques. In D. Capozza, R. J. Brown, (Eds.), Social identity processes: Trends in theory and research (pp. 96–116). London: Sage. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Maass, A. , Ceccarelli, R. , Rudin, S. (1996). Linguistic intergroup bias: Evidence for in-group-protective motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, 512–526. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Moscatelli, S. , Albarello, F. , Rubini, M. (2008). Linguistic discrimination in minimal groups: The impact of status differentials. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 27, 140–154. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Mummendey, A. , Simon, B. , Dietze, C. , Grunert, M. , Haeger, G. , Kessler, S. , ... Schaferhoff, S. (1992). Categorization is not enough: Intergroup discrimination in negative outcome allocation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 28, 125–144. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Otten, S. , & Mummendey, A. (2000). Valence-dependent probability of ingroup favoritism between minimal groups: An integrative view of the positive-negative asymmetry in social discrimination. In D. Capozza, R. J. Brown, (Eds.), Social identity processes: Trends in theory and research (pp. 33–49). London: Sage. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Otten, S. , Mummendey, A. , Blanz, M. (1996). Intergroup discrimination in positive and negative outcome allocations: Impact of stimulus valence, relative group status, and relative group size. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22, 568–581. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Peters, G. , & Czapinski, J. (1990). Positive-negative asymmetry in evaluations: The distinction between affective and informational negativity effects. In W. Stroebe, M. Hewstone, (Eds.), European review of social psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 33–60). Chichester, UK: Wiley. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Rubini, M. , Moscatelli, S. , Albarello, F. , Palmonari, A. (2007). Group power as a determinant of interdependence and intergroup discrimination. European Journal of Social Psychology, 37, 1203–1221. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Rubini, M. , Moscatelli, S. , Palmonari, A. (2007). Increasing group entitativity: Linguistic intergroup discrimination in the minimal group paradigm. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 10, 280–296. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Rubini, M. , & Semin, G. R. (1994). Language use in the context of congruent and incongruent ingroup behaviors. British Journal of Social Psychology, 33, 355–362. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Semin, G. R. , Fiedler, K. (1988). The cognitive functions of linguistic categories in describing persons: Social cognition and language. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 558–568. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Tajfel, H. , Billig, M. G. , Bundy, R. P. , Flament, C. (1971). Social categorization and intergroup behavior. European Journal of Social Psychology, 1, 149–178. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Tajfel, H. , & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of social conflicts. In W. G. Austin, S. Worchel, (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Monterey, CA: Brooks-Cole. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Wigboldus, D. H. J. , Douglas, K. M. (2007). Language, stereotypes, and intergroup relations. In K. Fiedler, (Ed.), Social communication (pp. 79–106). New York: Psychology Press. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Wigboldus, D. H. J. , Semin, G. R. , Spears, R. (2000). How do we communicate stereotypes? Linguistic biases and inferential consequences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 5–18. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Yzerbyt, V. , Castano, E. , Leyens, J. P. , Paladino, M. P. (2000). The primacy of the ingroup: The interplay of entitativity and identification. European Review of Social Psychology, 11, 257–295. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar