Research suggests that ingroup bias in the minimal group paradigm may rely
on dichotomous categorization, not social categorization per se. Dichotomou
s categorization may prime competition because of its unique cultural signi
ficance. Young children often do not demonstrate the culturally shaped cogn
itive tendencies of their elders, even though they can. Thus, young childre
n may not show bias in the minimal group context. Two experiments examined
these issues. In Experiment I, children completed a minimal groups task in
two- or three-group conditions. They received no prime, a neutral prime, ma
competitive prime. As predicted, children did not display ingroup bias in
two- or three-group conditions unless competitively primed In Experiment 2,
undergraduate students completed a minimal groups task in two- or three-gr
oup conditions. They received no prime or a competitive prime. As predicted
, undergraduates displayed bias in two-group contexts. They displayed bias
in three-group contexts only when competitively primed.