Deakin University
School of Psychology, Geelong Waterfront Campus, Geelong VIC 3217

Summary of Findings: Intergroup Attributions of Ambiguous Negative Events

Investigators: Dr. Lucy Zinkiewicz and Anders Sonderlund

Study Aims: To investigate attributions of responsibility made by Australians for ambiguous negative events, where the responsible person is an ingroup and/or outgroup member on one of two potentially cross-cutting dimensions: nationality (Australian versus Danish versus American), and professional orientation (civilian versus military).

Unfortunately, we were not able to obtain a very large or representative sample, and all of the hypotheses were thus inconclusive. Weak trends were apparent in the data, however, as well as a single statistically significant effect. Presented here are some preliminary information about the respondents to the survey as well as what was found.

Participants: In the present study, 131 participants (97 female, 34 male) took part in the project, all of whom were Australian or Australian residents. Respondents were between 18 to 66+ years of age with various occupations ranging broadly from, for example, painters and bartenders to sales representatives and photographers. Approximately 41.9%, however, were students. In order to ensure that an optimal number of participants identified with the civilian ingroup, participants who were currently or had ever been in the military were excluded from the study.

Findings: The predictions made were not supported by the results of this study. Participants did not attribute more responsibility to the two outgroups, on the dimensions of nationality and affiliation, than to their own ingroup. Nor was there a cross-cutting categorisation effect in relation to nationality and affiliation. A statistically significant effect of affiliation emerged on the consensus scale for Scenario 4, which indicated harsher judgments of ingroup (civilian) protagonists than outgroup (military) ones, and a nonsignificant general trend in the data hinted that Australians were harsher in judgement of Australian actors than of those from the two nationality outgroups. Such a tendency could be the result of the ‘black sheep effect’ which stipulates a greater negative reaction to an ingroup member whose behaviour or opinions reflect poorly on the group as a whole, than to an outgroup member acting similarly. Another possible explanation for the outcome of this study, could be the high standard of education apparent in the sample. Higher education has in previous research been associated with lower levels of intergroup differentiation and prejudice.

In conclusion, we would like thank all of the participants for their responses to the survey. If you would like more detailed information on anything we have reported here, please email either Lucy Zinkiewicz at lucy.zinkiewicz@deakin.edu.au or Anders Sonderlund at anders.sonderlund@deakin.edu.au.