Ingroup Preference and Homogeneity Among African American and Chinese American Students

On the basis of social identity theory, the author hypothesized that social identity (ethnic category) and salient intergroup comparisons would produce greater preference and perceived homogeneity within the ingroup than with the out-group. To test this hypothesis, surveys including stimuli of both African and Chinese American membership were administered to both an African American and a Chinese American sample of students. The results for both samples strongly support the hypothesis: Chinese American subjects judged the ingroup (Chinese targets) more favorably and perceived the Chinese to be more homogeneous than the outgroup (Black targets). Similarly, African American subjects judged the ingroup (Black targets) more favorably and perceived Blacks to be more homogeneous than the outgroup (Chinese targets).