COGNITIVE BIASES AND POLITICAL-PARTY AFFILIATION IN INTERGROUP CONFLICT

Employing the motivational basis of the false consensus bias, this stu dy hypothesized that the degree of assumed similarity to in-group atti tudes would differ among supporters of various political groups in int ergroup conflict. We defined a conflict-maintaining bias, the adversar y's extremity bias, and examined how the degree of the bias would also differ among supporters of various political groups. Data were gather ed from Arab and Jewish high school and university students in Israel. Our hypotheses, that in intergroup conflict assumed similarity to in- group attitudes and the adversary's extremity bias would be greater am ong supporters of less conciliatory political parties than among suppo rters of more conciliatory political parties, were supported for one g roup in the conflict but not the other. Explanations of our findings a re based on the differential power status of the 2 groups in the parti cular conflict.