In-group Bias

People feel psychologically safer through the social bonds they form with others. The desire to belong provides a foundation for individuals to define themselves as members of a group. This bond strengthens emotional closeness with in-group members and may lead to less flexibility in attitudes toward out-groups. Especially when a sense of cultural threat increases, this feeling of belonging becomes even stronger and drives individuals to defend the values of their in-group against the differences of out-groups. This phenomenon is called in-group bias.

Cognitive Processes and Social Domains

Adolescence is a stage during which stereotypes are shaped and the process of evaluating social events through personal judgments accelerates. Social domain theory posits that individuals assess social events within the frameworks of moral personal and conventional domains. In-group favoritism is often justified through conventional social norms. This facilitates the legitimization of stereotypes as mechanisms for maintaining group order.

The Role of Conflict and Threat Perception

Perceptions of threat or conflict between groups make it easier for individuals to develop biased attitudes favoring their in-group. This can be explained by the reflexive need of in-group members to defend their own identity. As the perception of threat increases, distrust and social distance toward out-groups also grow. In particular, the perception of threat toward immigrant groups becomes more pronounced among individuals who emphasize group differences.

Experimental Findings and Social Norms

In-group bias is not merely an individual psychological tendency but is also shaped by shared norms within the group. If the group norm is based on favoritism, individuals internalize this norm and exhibit more positive attitudes toward in-group members. This effect is more pronounced among individuals with high levels of in-group identification; however, when the group norm is based on equality, in-group bias can decrease. Thus, group norms are important social structures that guide individuals’ behaviors favoring their in-group.

Effectiveness and Strengthening of Social Identity

The impact of social identity on individuals extends beyond self-esteem and the feeling of belonging. The need for effectiveness relates to an individual’s desire for their group to be influential within the social environment. This desire encourages group members to align around shared goals, but this alignment can also increase in-group solidarity and simultaneously foster exclusionary attitudes toward out-groups.

Differentiation and the Desire for Distinction

People desire both to belong and to differentiate themselves. This dual need is examined within the framework of optimal distinctiveness theory. Individuals demand that their in-group possess distinguishing characteristics that set it apart from out-groups. This demand becomes especially prominent in identities that are strongly rooted in cultural and historical contexts. Negative attitudes toward out-groups are reinforced by these distinctions that imply the superiority of the in-group.

The Transformative Effect of Intergroup Contact

One of the key factors that reduce in-group bias is intergroup contact. The quality of contact depends on whether interactions between individuals and out-group members are based on mutual understanding. Research conducted especially with adolescents shows that those who have personal interactions with out-group members exhibit a significant reduction in prejudice. Such contact enables individuals to restructure their social judgments.

Hierarchy Belonging and Social Identity

In society some groups may occupy a more dominant position due to historical cultural or structural reasons. This hierarchical structure leads individuals to cling more tightly to their in-group identities. This can result in the perception of out-groups as threatening and reinforce in-group bias. In particular the perception of threat to identity emerges as a trigger that intensifies discriminatory attitudes.