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Social Facts and Social Attributions: The Explanation of Intergroup Differences in Hong Kong

Social Facts and Social Attributions: The Explanation of Intergroup Differences in Hong Kong Many critics of contemporary work in attribution have called for a more “social” approach. In response to this concern, the present study addressed the neglected question of how realistic differences between groups are explained. A total of 56 members of two Hong Kong universities were asked to explain eight accepted facts distinguishing the two groups to an experimenter and a future audience from one or the other group. Four of the eight facts favored each of the universities. Results showed students of both universities making group-serving attributions, this bias being more marked on the explanations made by the lower-status group. The favorability of the facts to one's own group and the group identity of the experimenter/audience had no impact on the attributions made. These results are discussed in terms of Tajfel's (1978) social identity theory, providing support for its applicability in a collectivist culture emphasizing harmony. Peonies, though pretty, need green leaves as a backdrop.—From The Dream of the Red Chamber by Cho Suet Kan (A.D. 1717–1763) http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Social Cognition Guilford Press

Social Facts and Social Attributions: The Explanation of Intergroup Differences in Hong Kong

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Publisher
Guilford Press
Copyright
© 1983 Guilford Publications Inc.
ISSN
0278-016X
DOI
10.1521/soco.1983.2.2.142
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Many critics of contemporary work in attribution have called for a more “social” approach. In response to this concern, the present study addressed the neglected question of how realistic differences between groups are explained. A total of 56 members of two Hong Kong universities were asked to explain eight accepted facts distinguishing the two groups to an experimenter and a future audience from one or the other group. Four of the eight facts favored each of the universities. Results showed students of both universities making group-serving attributions, this bias being more marked on the explanations made by the lower-status group. The favorability of the facts to one's own group and the group identity of the experimenter/audience had no impact on the attributions made. These results are discussed in terms of Tajfel's (1978) social identity theory, providing support for its applicability in a collectivist culture emphasizing harmony. Peonies, though pretty, need green leaves as a backdrop.—From The Dream of the Red Chamber by Cho Suet Kan (A.D. 1717–1763)

Journal

Social CognitionGuilford Press

Published: Jun 1, 1983

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