Black Sheep versus In-Group Favoritism

Abstract

Sometimes people punish offenders from their own group more severely than offenders from a different group (the “black sheep effect”). At other times, however, people punish offenders from a different group more severely than offenders from their own group (the “in-group favorability effect”). Punishment regulates social groups in two complementary ways: (1) punishment stimulates and stabilizes cooperative within-group relations (within-group function); and (2) punishment protects the group from outside threats (between-group function). The chapter then examines the within-group function of punishment. “In-group morality” implies that group members enjoy more procedural protections from the group. Following an unambiguous offense that harms the group, however, in-group morality also implies that in-group offenders are punished more severely than out-group offenders. Betrayal of in-group norms is considered worse when committed by a fellow in-group member.