Discrimination of a low-status outgroup: The role of ingroup threat

In the present study it was predicted that a threat to the ingroup by a high-status outgroup would lead its members to increase the level of derogation of a lower-status outgroup. Two experimental groups of psychologists (116 in total) were informed about the opinions (positive or negative) allegedly held by medical doctors regarding clinical psychologists, whereas participants in the control condition did not receive any feedback. Later all participants were asked to judge psychologists, social workers (low-status outgroup), and medical doctors along professional and personality dimensions. As predicted, compared to participants in the positive feedback and in the control conditions, negative feedback participants increased derogation toward social workers but not toward medical doctors along the professional traits relevant to the feedback. Results are interpreted in the context of Downward Comparison Theory.