The perception of group variability in a non-minority and a minority context: when adaptation leads to out-group differentiation.

Abstract

Minority and non-minority participants (Portuguese living in Germany vs. living in Portugal) completed open-ended measures of in-group and out-group perception. Participants' generated attributes were analysed to assess perceived group variability, complexity of group knowledge, language abstractness, first- or second-hand experience and participants' elaboration. Non-minority members perceived more out-group than in-group homogeneity (the 'outgroup homogeneity effect'), whereas minority members perceived more in-group than out-group homogeneity. This reversed pattern was owing to an increase in out-group differentiation by minority members and not to differences in in-group perception. Moreover, compared to majority members, minority members showed a greater elaboration and based their in-group and out-group knowledge more on personal beliefs derived from first-hand experience. These results are in accord with findings in migration research showing that in order to adapt, migrants develop a differentiated perception of the host culture. Conditions that lead group members to differentiate the out-group are discussed.