Ingroups
Considered to be one of the founding fathers of social psychology; Gordon Allport formulated theories of personality and prejudice. In his article The Formation of In Groups, Allport theorizes that people feel entitled to a sense of belonging or loyalty to certain groups which share similar interest, beliefs, traits or traditions. These groups are called in-groups; an in-group is defined as any cluster of people who can use the term "we" collectively and with the same significance. "The existence of an outsider is in the beginning an essential condition of any warmth or togetherness within the group." Allport argues that for every in-group there is an out-group and that hatred for the out-group strengthens the bonds between members of the same in-group. Allport's theory on the dissociation of in-group to out-group is true. Through personal experiences I have noticed the ties which bound me to my group. Growing up in a Baptist church I regularly associated with family that attended the church. I would sit with family and talk with them. I demonstrated prejudice to those in the church, who were not related to me by avoiding them all together or not interacting with the others as much as I did with my own family. Through this per
This change is the basis for breaking bonds to former group also the change is the cause for loyalties to multiple groups. Seven year old children in one town were asked, "Which are better the children in this tow or in Smithfield (a neighboring town)?" Almost all replied, " The children in this town. The sense of belonging must be intensified through prejudice, In my high school upper classmen picked on freshmen because they hadn't adapted to their new environment (they would get lost in the school) and because they yet to mature. Also that people tend be with people like themselves is as true a statement than ever. Prejudice is not a result of influence on the group of as a whole, but rather influence of in-group memberships upon the development of the individual personality. sonal experience, Allport's theory is correct; by belonging to a group and being loyal to that group a out-group was created and subjected to prejudice just because they were unlike my own group. Through my personal experiences I can see Allport's theories at work. Allport also states in his article "the strength and definition of in-groups change over the years in a given culture, but a single individual, too, may have occasion at one time to affirm one group-loyalty and at a different time another. " When asked why, the children usually replied, "I don't know the kids in Smithfield. It is permanent because we can never change our race physically or mentally. Groups we warmly accept or wish to be part of are known as reference groups. Allport stresses " because of their basic importance to our own survival and self-esteem we tend to develop a partisanship and ethnocentricism in respect to our in-groups. He develops self-hate for his in-group.
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Acceptance Essays
