MEMORY FOR AND EXPERIENCE OF DIFFERENTIAL COMPETITIVE BEHAVIOR OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS

Four experiments investigated whether differential experiences with gr oups and individuals led to previously obtained results of greater com petitive expectations in intergroup than interindividual relations. In Experiment 1, participants rated their recalled instances of intergro up relations as more competitive than their interindividual relations. In Experiment 2, a relatively greater proportion of competitive to co operative intergroup relations were recalled compared with interindivi dual relations. In Experiment 3, participants recorded relevant intera ctions for 7 days, and rated their intergroup relations as more compet itive than their interindividual relations. In Experiment 4, participa nts recorded a relatively greater number of cooperative than competiti ve relations with individuals than with groups. These results can be i nterpreted as a demonstration in a nonlaboratory context that intergro up relations are more competitive than interindividual relations.