WHEN THE OUTGROUP BECOMES INGROUP AND WHEN THE INGROUP BECOMES OUTGROUP - XENOPHOBIA AND SOCIAL CATEGORIZATION IN A RESOURCE-ALLOCATION TASK

Subjects classified as more or less xenophobic allocated resources to Swiss nationals (ingroup) and foreign residents (outgroup) in three in tergroup judgement modes: negative interdependence, independence and p ositive interdependence. When both groups were assessed together as a single beneficiary (positive interdependence), they were allocated mor e resources than those provided to the outgroup under negative interde pendence or independence. More xenophobic subjects, however, gave less resources to both groups together under positive interdependence than to the ingroup under independence. In contrast, less xenophobic subje cts allocated to both groups together a similar amount as to the ingro up under independence. These results suggest that, depending on their initial attitudes towards the outgroup, individuals will categorize a superordinate entity either more as an ingroup or more as an outgroup.