Social Perception of Ingroup and Outgroup Members in India.

Abstract

One hundred male undergraduates, members of five caste groups in India, evaluated members of their own caste group, religious group, and other religious groups. Allport's prediction that we all define ingroup on the basis of a narrow criterion was contrasted with Paranjpe's prediction that position of a group within a societal framework determines the criterion of defining ingroup. It was found that Ss coming from the upper part of the social continuum defined their ingroup on the basis of caste, as Allport predicts. Ss coming from the lower part of the continuum, however, defined ingroup on the basis of religion consistent with the prediction of Paranjpe. It was, therefore, concluded that the bases of ingroup feelings among the members of a society vary with their position within the societal framework. Furthermore, the ethnocentrism theory of Paranjpe provides a better account for ingroup feelings than that of Allport.