Social categorization and intergroup behaviour
Tajfel, Billig, Bundy and Flament sorted participants into groups on a trivial basis and asked them to divide rewards and penalties between members of the groups. Participants favoured their own group, and the clearest effect was a pull towards the largest possible difference in favour of the own group, even where that meant giving up other gains. Maximising joint reward regardless of group had no significant effect on the split, while maximising the own group's reward did. Reading depth: abstract only; no sample sizes or effect sizes used.
Tajfel, Billig, Bundy and Flament sorted participants into groups on a trivial basis and asked them to divide rewards and penalties between members of the groups. Participants favoured their own group, and the clearest effect was a pull towards the largest possible difference in favour of the own group, even where that meant giving up other gains. Maximising joint reward regardless of group had no significant effect on the split, while maximising the own group's reward did. Reading depth: abstract only; no sample sizes or effect sizes used.
Written from the abstract, Crossref record, 2026-11-01.
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Tajfel, H., Billig, M. G., Bundy, R. P., & Flament, C. (1971). Social categorization and intergroup behaviour. European Journal of Social Psychology, 1(2), 149-178. doi:10.1002/ejsp.2420010202 https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2420010202