INTERGROUP NORMS AND INTERGROUP DISCRIMINATION - DISTINCTIVE SELF-CATEGORIZATION AND SOCIAL IDENTITY EFFECTS

Manipulation of in-group and out-group norms of discrimination and fai rness allowed for the operation of competing social identity principle s concerning in-group bias, conformity, and group distinctiveness. The combined effects of these principles on in-group bias were first exam ined in a modified minimal-group setting (Study 1). Results demonstrat ed that participants' allocation strategies were in accord with the in -group norm. Furthermore, dissimilar norms resulted in greater use of positive differentiation allocation strategies. However, in natural gr oups (Study 2), more in-group bias was found when both group norms wer e similar and discriminatory. The results confirm the importance of in -group norms and demonstrate differences between experimental and natu ral groups in the applicability of competing social identity and self- categorization principles.