Outgroup Homogeneity

Definition

Outgroup homogeneity is the tendency for members of a group to see themselves as more diverse and heterogeneous than they are seen by an outgroup. Thus, for example, whereas Italians see themselves as quite diverse and different from one another, Americans view Italians as more similar to each other, or more alike. Democrats see themselves as more diverse than they are viewed by Republicans; Southerners see themselves as more heterogeneous than they are viewed by the rest of U.S. residents, and so on. In examining outgroup homogeneity, it is important to keep the target group constant (e.g., Southerners) and compare the perceptions of two different judge groups [Page 644](e.g., the judgments of Southerners themselves versus the rest of the country), rather than comparing a single ...