The Dynamics of Group Differentiation in the Face of Defeat

This study examined the process of between-group differentiation in a disadvantaged group to see how its members achieved some form of positive in-group distinctiveness. The players on the last-place ice hockey team in a competitive league were tested at eight games. Before and after each game, they were asked to rate how they perceived their team, the opposing team, and themselves. One hypothesis was that players could not ignore their past and present performance and would rate their opponents as superior on attributes that were critical for success. A second hypothesis was that players would achieve a measure of positive distinctiveness by seeing their opponents as more "dirty" in their play. Results, which supported these hypotheses, are discussed within the context of Tajfel and Turner's social identity theory.