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On the Flexibility of the Automatic Us-Them Divide

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Human Motivation and Interpersonal Relationships

Abstract

We examine the “us-them divide” from a motivational perspective, and suggest that the psychological processes underlying the us-them divide can be conceptualized as occurring in two steps. The first step involves a basic social cognitive distinction between different groups, and does not contain bias, whereas the second step involves motivated, anxiety-reduction strategies that elevate the self (or ingroup) and devalue the other (or outgroup). We propose that potential variability in the second step psychological processes allows for flexibility in us-them divide, and allows humans to function with relatively less us-them divide. Three theoretical perspectives are reviewed that can account for attenuated other-derogation in the us-them divide including self-determination theory, Crocker’s interpersonal goal approach, and a Buddhist perspective of self.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Jen-Ho Chang

  2. Department of Psychology, Skidmore College, NY, USA

    Holley S. Hodgins

  3. Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yi-Cheng Lin

  4. Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chin-Lan Huang

Authors
  1. Jen-Ho Chang
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  2. Holley S. Hodgins
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  3. Yi-Cheng Lin
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  4. Chin-Lan Huang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jen-Ho Chang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom

    Netta Weinstein

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Chang, JH., Hodgins, H.S., Lin, YC., Huang, CL. (2014). On the Flexibility of the Automatic Us-Them Divide. In: Weinstein, N. (eds) Human Motivation and Interpersonal Relationships. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8542-6_5

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