The Minimal Group Studies

Abstract

What does it take to make you believe you are a member of a group? The tradition of the British pantomime usually has one piece where the audience is asked to sing, divided into two groups, and encouraged to compete against each other to see who sings the loudest. The members of the audience invariably oblige by singing their hearts out. Each person believes they are a member of a team and acts to support that team. The studies by Sherif (summarised earlier in this chapter) suggested that groups only develop strong intergroup feelings when there is conflict, and this conflict is the crucial precursor of ethno-centrism. However, conflict is not present in all interactions between groups, but ethnocentrism can still develop.