In-group bias, also called in-group favoritism, is the tendency for people to favor members of a group they identify with over people perceived as outsiders, often judging in-group members more positively and treating them more generously.
The bias can apply to groups based on meaningful identities, like nationality, family, or profession, but psychological research has repeatedly shown it can also emerge from remarkably trivial or arbitrary group distinctions.
Favoring 'Us' Over 'Them'
How Little It Takes to Trigger It
A landmark set of studies known as the minimal group paradigm found that people showed favoritism toward others assigned to the same group as them, even when group membership was based on something as arbitrary as a coin flip or an inconsequential preference test.
In-group bias helps explain a wide range of everyday behavior, from workplace favoritism toward colleagues from a shared background to broader social and political polarization, since even loosely defined group identities can shape how fairly people treat one another.
Sources
- Wikipedia β overview of in-group bias and related research
- American Psychological Association β psychological background on group identity and bias
- Simply Psychology β explainer on the minimal group paradigm studies
FAQ
Does in-group bias only apply to meaningful group identities?
No β research has shown it can emerge even from trivial or arbitrary group distinctions, such as those created for laboratory experiments.
What is the minimal group paradigm?
A set of studies showing that people show favoritism toward others assigned to the same group as them, even when group membership is based on something arbitrary.
How does in-group bias show up in everyday life?
It can appear in workplace favoritism toward colleagues from a shared background and in broader social or political polarization between groups.
About the Author
We reference Wikipedia, American Psychological Association, and Simply Psychology to explain the background and current understanding of this topic.
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