Determinants of the Effect of Intergroup Cooperation on Intergroup Attraction

It was hypothesized that intergroup cooperation would increase intergroup attraction to the extent that previous group identities were erased. In the first phase of the present study, two groups of subjects either competed or acted interdependently. Members of the two groups either wore similar uniforms or different uniforms to distinguish the groups. In the second phase of the study, the two groups were combined and worked cooperatively on two tasks. The outcome of the cooperative endeavor was manipulated so half the groups succeeded and half failed. The results indicated that attraction for out-group members following the first phase was the lowest when the groups wore distinctive uniforms and competed. Intergroup cooperation increased attraction for outgroup members except when the cooperative endeavor resulted in failure and the two groups had previously competed. Further, there was less intergroup attraction following cooperation between members of groups distinguished by uniforms than between groups not wearing distinctive dress. It was reasoned that previous intergroup competition, distinctive dress, and failure at a task hindered the elimination of former group identities during intergroup cooperation.