"When you contemplate the reasons for people forming hard and fast distinctions between themselves and others, those reasons may seem to be anything but logical. We are all people. So why do groups of people, sometimes based on only minor differences, line up so readily against themselves, sometimes at their peril? It's well known in sports that people form strong allegiances to their own team, whether based on geography (hometown), family traditions, or even team mascot or color."
"Ardent fans of these teams literally despise the fans of the opponents. This is a classic example of ingroup-outgroup bias, the tendency to favor people who share some quality with you while you dislike or even loathe people who share the opposite quality. Life outside the sports arena not only replicates this effect but also can turn it into massive societal ills, ranging from border wars to the hoarding of resources during times of need."
Ingroup-outgroup bias causes people to favor those who share a common attribute and to dislike or harm those with opposing attributes. Sports fandom exemplifies this tendency, with allegiances based on geography, family tradition, mascots, or colors and hostility toward rival fans. The bias extends beyond sports into political polarization, border conflicts, and resource hoarding during crises. Prosocial behavior often reflects ingroup preferences, leading to helping ingroup members and harming or neglecting outgroup members. Recent research tests who is likely to help opponents and why. Identifying factors that promote cross-group cooperation may enable societies to overcome divisive dynamics.
Read at Psychology Today
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