M. Blanz et al., PERCEIVED MOTIVES FOR SOCIAL DISCRIMINATI ON - THE IMPACT OF STIMULUS-VALENCE AND PERCEIVERS PERSPECTIVE, Zeitschrift fur Sozialpsychologie, 26(3), 1995, pp. 135-147
A normative explanation for the positive-negative asymmetry in social
discrimination is investigated. There is a lack of ingroup-favouritism
with respect to intergroup allocations referring to negatively valenc
ed stimuli, which contradicts results referring to positively valenced
stimuli. This valence-asymmetry is explained by the lower normative a
ppropriateness of discrimination within the negative compared to the p
ositive domain. To investigate this normative account factors stimulus
-valence (positive, negative) and given allocation outcome (parity, in
group- and outgroup-favouritism) were varied. Dependent measures were
(1) subjects' own allocations and the perceived motives with respect t
o (2) the given allocations and (3) subjects' own allocations. Results
largely support the investigated hypotheses. With regard to ingroup-f
avouritism performed by others socially disapproved motives were more
frequent in the negative domain, while socially accepted motives domin
ated in the positive one. With respect to ingroup-favouritism choosen
by the subjects the pattern of results was reversed. In addition, in t
he negative area parity decisions were attributed to self-serving moti
ves more frequently than in the positive one. Results are discussed in
terms of the normative explanation of the positive-negative asymmetry
, which is supported by the presented data.