REACTIONS TO INTERGROUP SIMILARITY - EXAMINATION OF THE SIMILARITY DIFFERENTIATION AND THE SIMILARITY ATTRACTION HYPOTHESES

This experiment examined the hypothesis that intergroup similarity results in in-group - out-group differentiation rather than intergroup attraction, particularly when social identity is threatened. One hundred and forty-five undergraduate students who had expressed their support for two issues relating to the equality of men and women were run in 28 pairs of opposite-sex groups. Each pair developed a written position on one of these issues. Intergroup belief similarity (similar versus different) was manipulated using false feedback. As well, each group was led to believe that the other group affirmed or denied that the issue was of importance (low versus high threat to social identity). The evidence did not support the similarity-differentiation hypothesis; rather, the similarity-attraction hypothesis was supported, particularly for female groups. As well, groups differentiated the out-group from their own group along stereotype and attitude dimensions in response to threat to social identity.