Social judgment · Conformity Bias · Entry 153
Outgroup Favoritism – when other groups seem better than your own
Do you feel like other groups always have it better – their culture, their people, their values? That’s Outgroup Favoritism – the tendency for socially disadvantaged groups to favor and even prefer other communities over their own.
Where it can show up
- Cultural stereotypes – believing that ‘over there’ everything is higher quality, more honest, or more progressive than ‘here.’
- Self-esteem & identity – undervaluing one’s own group while admiring external norms and traditions.
- Politics & society – supporting privileged groups, even when it works against one’s own interests.
A practical countermeasure
- Compare objectively – every group has strengths and weaknesses, not just an idealized image.
- Recognize the power of stereotypes – society may push certain groups as ‘better,’ but that doesn’t make it true.
- Judge people individually – group membership alone doesn’t make someone better or worse.