A Generalized Personal/Group Discrepancy: Testing the Domain Specificity of a Perceived Higher Effect of Events on One's Group than on Oneself

Abstract

Studies on the personal/group discrimination discrepancy show individuals to perceive higher levels of discrimination directed at their group as a whole than at themselves personally. The authors hypothesized that the discrepancy is not restricted to the domain of discrimination. Research participants in Studies I and 2 completed questionnaires asking them to rate the degree to which they personally, their close friends, their gender group, and the general population (in Study 2, the average person in these groups) were affected by events in eight domains, including gender discrimination. In both studies, participants rated group levels of affectedness higher than personal levels, demonstrating a generalized personal/group discrepancy. Study 3 showed that this discrepancy also extends to positive events, thus arguing against a denial hypothesis and perhaps supporting an availability heuristic interpretation.

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