Ingroup romantic preferences among Jewish and non-Jewish White undergraduates

Abstract

We hypothesized that ingroup romantic preferences positively relate to group ties (e.g., ingroup identity and approval from friends and family) among ethnic minority groups particularly compared to ethnic majority groups. In Study 1, Jewish undergraduates completed items regarding ingroup identity and ratings of Jewish and non-Jewish partners. Students rated ingroup members more positively than outgroup members, ratings positively correlated with identity, and identity positively predicted ingroup preferences while similarity did not. Study 2 included both White Jewish and White non-Jewish students. Social network approval and collectivism positively predicted preferences among Jewish students, while social network approval and similarity positively predicted preferences among non-Jewish students. We discuss ingroup identity's differential role in attraction between ethnic minority group members and ethnic majority group members.