Minimal groups paradigm
Encyclopedia
The Minimal group paradigm (MGP) is a methodology employed in social psychology
(e.g. Tajfel
, 1970) to investigate the minimal conditions required for discrimination to occur between groups. Experiments using this approach have revealed that even arbitrary and virtually meaningless distinctions between groups (e.g. the colour of their shirts ) can trigger a tendency to favour one's own group at the expense of others.
Social identity theory and self-categorization theory
explain this phenomenon by proposing a process in which ingroup
members seek to build collective esteem by making social comparisons with other groups. For example, ingroup members often attribute the achievements of outgroups to luck
or circumstance. On the other hand, their own successes are seen as reflecting their inherent qualities and as a validation of their ethos
. This process of attributing one's own group's achievements to internal causes and the outgroup's achievements to external causes is related to the fundamental attribution error
. Ingroup members also make biased comparisons with less fortunate outgroups to support the validity and legitimacy of their beliefs, values and behaviours. This allows them to distinguish themselves from outgroup members by exaggerating their differences and enhancing intergroup boundaries. Threats to distinctiveness in minimal groups are often overcome by making more biased social comparisons, expelling black sheep and re-categorizing the ingroup to exclude members that share outgroup values.
Social psychology
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. By this definition, scientific refers to the empirical method of investigation. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all...
(e.g. Tajfel
Henri Tajfel
Henri Tajfel was a British social psychologist, best known for his pioneering work on the cognitive aspects of prejudice and social identity theory, as well as being one of the founders of the European Association of Experimental Social Psychology.-Early life in Poland:Tajfel grew up in Poland...
, 1970) to investigate the minimal conditions required for discrimination to occur between groups. Experiments using this approach have revealed that even arbitrary and virtually meaningless distinctions between groups (e.g. the colour of their shirts ) can trigger a tendency to favour one's own group at the expense of others.
Social identity theory and self-categorization theory
Self-categorization Theory
Self-categorization theory is a theory of social categorization that includes categorization of the self as a key feature. The theory was developed by John Turner and colleagues, and along with social identity theory it is a constituent part of the social identity approach...
explain this phenomenon by proposing a process in which ingroup
Ingroups and outgroups
In sociology and social psychology, ingroups and outgroups are social groups to which an individual feels as though he or she belongs as a member, or to which they feel contempt, opposition, or a desire to compete. People tend to hold positive attitudes towards members of their own groups, a...
members seek to build collective esteem by making social comparisons with other groups. For example, ingroup members often attribute the achievements of outgroups to luck
Luck
Luck or fortuity is good fortune which occurs beyond one's control, without regard to one's will, intention, or desired result. There are at least two senses people usually mean when they use the term, the prescriptive sense and the descriptive sense...
or circumstance. On the other hand, their own successes are seen as reflecting their inherent qualities and as a validation of their ethos
Ethos
Ethos is a Greek word meaning "character" that is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or ideology. The Greeks also used this word to refer to the power of music to influence its hearer's emotions, behaviors, and even morals. Early Greek stories of...
. This process of attributing one's own group's achievements to internal causes and the outgroup's achievements to external causes is related to the fundamental attribution error
Fundamental attribution error
In social psychology, the fundamental attribution error describes the tendency to over-value dispositional or personality-based explanations for the observed behaviors of others while under-valuing situational explanations for those behaviors...
. Ingroup members also make biased comparisons with less fortunate outgroups to support the validity and legitimacy of their beliefs, values and behaviours. This allows them to distinguish themselves from outgroup members by exaggerating their differences and enhancing intergroup boundaries. Threats to distinctiveness in minimal groups are often overcome by making more biased social comparisons, expelling black sheep and re-categorizing the ingroup to exclude members that share outgroup values.