Perceptions of group homogeneity as a function of social comparison: The mediating role of group identity

Recent research has shown that creating an intergroup context of comparison may influence the outgroup homogeneity effect or even turn it into an ingr oup homogeneity effect. In the present study, the aim was to replicate thes e findings by using overall judgment of similarity instead of the more comm only used dimensional ratings. Further, and more importantly, it was argued that this effect could be explained by an increase in the salience of part icipants' group identity. The results showed that context of comparison rev ealed an effect on both level of group identification and perceptions of re lative ingroup and outgroup homogeneity. In line with predictions, particip ants' level of group identification seemed to account for the effect of the comparison context on the homogeneity ratings.