The global ecology of differentiation between us and them

Nature Human Behavior • Vol/Iss. . • Nature • • Published In • Pages: 1-9 •
By Van de Vliert, Evert

Abstract

In this article the researcher conducted five different studies on in-group or "we-group" vs out-group or "they-group" discrimination practices. Two previous hypotheses are re-examined, the pathogen stress hypothesis and the rice-wheat hypothesis, in order to explain heightened ingroup-outgroup differentiation, before turning to overarching geographical hypothesis. Each of the five studies look at a different group of societies cross-culturally, ending in an index of intergroup discrimination by individuals across 222 countries in study 5. All five studies conclude that differentiation between us and them varies based on geographical location and more specifically, along latitude.
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: abbe.mccarter  anj.droe