English 161 – the Formation of Ingroups
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“The formation of ingroups”
Jon Jackson
Lorain County community college
English 161 professor Dr. William R. Hughes
In Gordon allports article “The formation of in groups” Allport formulated theories of personality and prejudice. In his article Allport theorized that people feel entitled to a sense of belonging or loyalty to certain groups which share similar interests, 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. Allport argues that for every in group there is an outgroup.
Allports States in his article “the strength and definition of an in group 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 or another” (p.20)The groups we take membership in are not always permanent. Certain groups we outgrow and others we will never be able to break from. As the views and personal opinions of any individual change their group may also change. This change is the basis for breaking bonds to former group also the change is the cause for loyalties to multiple groups. Allport theorized that groups such as race are a group that can never be left behind; being born into our racial in group is something we have no control over. It is permanent because we can never change our race physically or mentally.
Prejudice toward an outgroup unifies the in group theorized Allport. “The existence of an outsider is in the beginning an essential condition of anyone or togetherness with the group.”(p. 53) The group strengthens loyalty by being unjust toward enemies. The sense of belonging must be intensified through prejudice.
Allport argues that extreme pressures exerted on an individual by his reference group cause us to act a certain way. Although repudiating of ones own in group is almost never caused as a result of the pressure exerted by the reference group. Allport theorized that reference groups serve to confirm our attitudes. He emphasize that prejudice is not a result of influence on the group as a whole, but rather influence of in group memberships upon the development of the individual personality.
Another aspect of Allports theory”Sex as an ingroup”(P.20). Allport discusses how sexual orientation does not make an impact on the decisions of children until they are at least the age 5. He gives statistics saying that beginning when a child is 2, they do not care if there playmate is a boy or girl, but as age increases up until about 8 grade, only about 2%