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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Detection of MicroRNAs in Microglia by Real-time PCR in Normal CNS and During Neuroinflammation

Detection of MicroRNAs in Microglia by Real-time PCR in Normal CNS and During Neuroinflammation

Published on: July 23, 2012

Mere Membership.

Yarrow Dunham¹

¹Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8205, USA.

Trends in Cognitive Sciences

|August 19, 2018

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Human social groups exhibit ingroup favoritism from early development, driven by abstract commonality rather than learned variation. This predisposition towards ingroup bias influences social dynamics and theories of intergroup behavior.

Keywords:

intergroup cognition minimal groups prejudice

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Area of Science:

Social Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Evolutionary Psychology

Background:

Human social groups are fundamental to societal structure and interpersonal dynamics.
All social groups share an underlying ingroup-outgroup structure, despite their diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the origins of ingroup bias, distinguishing between learned variation and abstract commonality.
To determine the extent to which simple group membership influences intergroup phenomena early in development.

Main Methods:

Review of existing evidence on early intergroup phenomena and ingroup biases.
Analysis of studies examining the impact of abstract social collectives versus social learning.

Main Results:

A significant range of intergroup phenomena, particularly ingroup biases, emerge solely from abstract social group membership.
These effects are observed early in development and are not attributable to extensive social learning.

Conclusions:

The findings constrain existing theories of ingroup bias, suggesting a strong innate predisposition.
Evidence supports the hypothesis that humans are inherently predisposed to ingroup favoritism from a very young age.