Introduction
Research on in-group bias helps explain why and under what circumstances group members tend to evaluate their connections more positively, as opposed to the negative assessment they give to other people. In-group favoritism is stable when belonging to a group creates clear advantages, for example, among whites and other dominant social associations. This often happens unconsciously and is considered one of the so-called cognitive distortions, primarily hasty conclusions of the brain that lead to incorrect results and understanding. This is reflected in the fact that Sally’s white privilege made her entitled to learn Indigenous culture and history in a way that is comfortable to her.
In-Group Bias
Such connections take, for example, the form of norms of behavior, roles, attachments, rivalry, and other elements. Moreover, these elements allow people to recognize themselves as competent social group members (Verkuyten 312). At the same time, they are a source and reason for people to be different from other participants and thus think of themselves as individuals with unique characteristics. This is evident in Sally, who, despite her past, does not feel enough affection for Indigenous people (Melanie Lefebvre). This is evidenced by the fact that she seeks to consider the history and culture of the people through the prism of interaction with white people. Consequently, Sally builds her judgments about Indigenous people solely based on her belonging to a different social group (Melanie Lefebvre). Thus, self-esteem and self-perception are strengthened through identification with social groups. This indicates that they are a reflection of the norms and practices expected and accepted by certain people.
Considering the situation with Sally, it should be noted that she was raised with a white perspective regarding views on social communities. This suggests that she has fewer connections with her cultural and historical past, significantly limiting her desire to study Indigenous people (Melanie Lefebvre). In this sense, bias arises as a way to maintain self-esteem by reinforcing the differences between internal and external groups. Thus, Sally may feel apprehension or a hidden reluctance to study Indigenous people since she does not feel connected with representatives of this group. This is influenced by a particular bias and lack of confidence that acceptance will occur.
Differentiation of internal and external groups provides a basis for assigning meaning and structure to otherwise ambiguous social information and provides a person with guidance and rules for social behavior and decision-making. The tendency to give preference to members of the inner group can lead to the fact that participants will mistreat others and make them perceive the same behavior of other people differently depending on their group (Verkuyten 314). Satisfaction of needs is a binding force between individuals and unites them into a social group. This is evident in Sally, as she feels enough attachment to another social group that she would like to study (Melanie Lefebvre). This becomes the basis of her privileged attitude to the ideas put forward by Melanie Lefebvre. Members of minority groups have no obligation to provide information on how to study history and culture (Melanie Lefebvre). The desire to overcome in-group bias should become the basis for studying a different culture since it is necessary to be able to discard bias and incorrect views regarding the external group.
Against the background of deep objective contradictions between groups, a high degree of intra-group favoritism is fraught with destructive social consequences. Conflicts increase the degree of intra-group favoritism and intergroup hostility (Verkuyten 314). It is often an obstacle to intergroup understanding, but at the same time performs the necessary function for the group to create or maintain positive group identity (Verkuyten 312). Ethnocentrism is a property of the consciousness of an ethnic group associated with an exaggeration of the positively assessed characteristics of its ethnic group, whose values and norms act as the center, the criterion for evaluating all other groups.
Conclusion
Intragroup bias is people’s tendency to prefer others belonging to the same group as them. This prejudice manifests itself even when people are grouped randomly, which makes membership in a group virtually meaningless. Thus, the satisfaction of needs is a binding force between individuals and unites them into a social group. Melanie Lefebvre demonstrated by the example of Sally that various factors could limit the desire to study the history and culture of other people. Sally’s white privilege has become the basis of the fact that she experiences a certain degree of detachment from the Indigenous people, although she has a kinship with them. The constant participation and maintenance of relationships in the inner group become the cause of increasing disunity between various social associations. For this reason, people do not experience a relationship with each other; thus, the opportunity to interact with representatives of other cultures, such as Indigenous people in the case of Sally, disappears.
Works Cited
Melanie Lefebvre. “It’s Not My Job to Teach You About Indigenous People.” The Walrus, Web.
Verkuyten, Maykel. “Group Identity and Ingroup Bias: The Social Identity Approach.” Human Development, vol. 65, no. 5–6, S. Karger AG, 2021, pp. 311–24.