You guys suck! We're awesome! [View All]

[Bread and Circus]

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http://www.units.muohio.edu/psybersite/fans/inoutbias.shtml

"Intergroup bias is the belief that one’s own group is better than all other groups. Even when categorization is arbitrary and unrelated to psychological characteristics, intergroup bias is still established. The mere categorization of people into groups can lead to increased attraction of in-group members and devaluation of out-group members. This is called the minimal group paradigm and was pioneered by Henri Taifel. In a study done by Howard and Rothbart (1980), subjects were randomly assigned to one of two different groups in which they did not know anyone. They were then presented with a mix of positive and negative information about their group, the in-group, and the other group, the out-group. Subjects had more favorable expectations about in-group members and more negative expectations about out-group members, even though they did not know the members of either group personally."
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Luckily, after we pick a nominee and get behind him or her we (we, meaning DU'ers) will ALL be awesome again!!!

Take-home point: Though we may think we hate each other now, we really don't. It's just that we've seperated ourselves into 2 groups with adverse interests. Once we get back in the "same group" with a common foe, it will be all :grouphug:'s from here on out. So, don't despair.

People need to be aware of in-group, out-group bias as it is the fundamental underpinning of all prejudice.

That's what I love about Obama, he stresses the commonality of all of us as "Americans". Even though nationalism has it's own dangers. It's still better than trying to carve the country up.