Tajfel's Experiments

Tajfel's experiments demonstrated how people tend to favor their own group over others, a behavior called in-group bias. Participants were assigned to groups based on arbitrary factors, like a preference for paintings. When asked to allocate rewards, they frequently favored their own group, even when no real personal gain was involved. This showed that mere group membership can influence people to act more positively toward their group and more negatively toward outsiders, highlighting how group identities shape social behavior and perceptions.