INTERGROUP DISCRIMINATION IN POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE OUTCOME ALLOCATIONS - IMPACT OF STIMULUS VALENCE, RELATIVE GROUP STATUS, AND RELATIVE GROUP-SIZE

Three studies investigated the determination of social discrimination by the valence of stimuli that are allocated between groups. The studi es were based on either the minimal group paradigm or a more reality-b ased laboratory intergroup setting, with stimulus valence, group statu s, and group size as factors and with pull scores on Tajfel matrices a s dependent variables. In general, the results showed that group membe rs did not discriminate against the out-group when allocating negative stimuli, whereas for positive stimuli the typical in-group bias was f ound. However, those participants whose positive social identity was t hreatened by assigning them to inferior or minority groups showed an i ncreased willingness to favor the in-group over the out-group in the a llocation of both positive and negative stimuli.