INTERGROUP RELATIONS
Social
psychologists
study in-groups
vs. out-groups,
ethnocentrism,
and the
difference
between
prejudice and
discrimination.
INTERGROUP RELATIONS
Group Identity: Us versus Them
 Social
identity
 Ethnocentrism
Prejudice
 Stereotype
 Discrimination
Ways to Improve Intergroup Relations
SOCIAL IDENTITY
Social identity: The way we define
ourselves in terms of our group
membership.
Social identity theory: States that our
social identities are a crucial part of
our self-image and a valuable source
of positive feelings about ourselves.
 Identify
in-group vs. out-group
Henry Tajfel Intergroup
Discrimination (1978)
US VERSUS THEM
In-group
Out-group
A
A
group that one
belongs to and
identifies with.
 “Us”
 In-group bias
group that one
does NOT belong
to or identify
with.
 “Them”
 Out-group
homogeneity
ETHNOCENTRISM
The tendency to favor one’s own
ethnic group over the other groups.
Asserts group superiority
Encourages “us vs. them”
STEREOTYPE
A generalization about a group's
characteristics that does not consider
any variations from one individual to
another.
May be good or bad (pos or neg)
PREJUDICE AND
DISCRIMINATION
Prejudice
Discrimination
 An
 An
unjustified
negative attitude
toward an
individual based
on the
individual's
membership in a
particular group.
 Attitude
unjustified
negative or
harmful action
toward a member
of a group simply
because the
person belongs to
that group.
 Behavior
TASK-ORIENTED
COOPERATION
Working together on a shared goal
reduces tensions between groups.
 Muzafer
Sherif Robbers Cave (1961)
 Superordinate
goal
 Rattlers vs. Eagles
 Competition vs. cooperation
 Eliot
Aronson Jigsaw Classroom (1986)
CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
Social psychology
examines attraction,
love, and intimacy.
CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
Attraction
 Proximity
 Acquaintance
 Similarity
Love
Models of Close Relationships
 Social
exchange theory
 Investment model
MERE EXPOSURE EFFECT
The phenomenon that the more we
encounter someone or something, the
more probable it is that we will start
liking the person or thing even if we
do not realize we have seen it before.
Robert Zajonc (1968)
TYPES OF LOVE
Romantic
 Aka
passionate love
 Love with strong
components of
sexuality and
infatuation, often
dominant in the
early part of a love
relationship.
Affectionate
 Aka
companionate
love
 Love that occurs
when individuals
desire to have
another person near
and have a deep,
caring affection for
the person.
TRIARCHIC THEORY OF LOVE
CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
Social Exchange Theory
Investment Model
 The

view of social
relationships as
involving an
exchange of
goods, the
objective of which
is to minimize
costs and
maximize
benefits.
A model of
relationships that
examines the ways
that commitment,
investment, and the
availability of
attractive
alternative partners
predict satisfaction
and stability in
relationships.