EFFECTS OF INTERGROUP RELATIONSHIPS AND LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE ON INTERINTRA-GROUP REWARD DISTRIBUTION

Abstract

The effects of intergroup relationships and individual and group performance on distributive justice in inter-and intragroup reward distribution were examined. Two experiments were done with (I) friendly and (II) unfriendly intergroup relationships. A pair of dyads (with High and Low Group performance; HG, LG), each consisting of two friends (with High and Low Individual performance; H, L) was paid inproportion to their total performance. Subjects were asked to choose one of the two distribution principles (Equity or Equality) for intra- and inter-group reward distribution in indivudual and group dicision making situation. Major results were as follows. (a) Intragroup distribuion; i) in the individual decision making situation, subjects with high performance chose the equality principle and subiects with low performance chose the equity principle, ii) in the group decision making situation, the equality priciple was chosen in each condition except for LG of Exp. I. (b) Intergroup distribution: i) in the individual dicision making situation, the equality principle was chosen more frequently than the equity principle in Exp. I and vice versa in Exp. II. ii) in the group dicision making situation, the equality principle was chosen in Exp. I, and in Exp. II the equality principle was chosen by LG. These results were discussed from the point of self-serving and non-self-serving distribution. It was concluded that individuals and groups are less self-serving in low performance condition.