The relationship between the self and the ingroup: When having a common conception helps

Consistent with balance theory, it was predicted that a balance is reached when the self and the ingroup are perceived in a similar way, leading Ss to more rapid judgments and fewer errors judging the self and the ingroup. The authors replicated and extended the results obtained by E. Smith and R. Henry (1996) who concluded that ingroup attributes become part of the self-image, thus facilitating the accessibility of self-information. Ss' level of identification with their ingroup was also assessed. A condition measuring reaction times for ingroup ratings (as opposed to self-ratings) was included. 250 4th yr high school students (mean age 17.8 yrs old) in North Italy participated. It was found that both ingroup and self-ratings were facilitated when the self- and the ingroup descriptions matched. It is suggested that a common self-ingroup representation facilitates the access to both the self and the ingroup