IN-GROUP AND OUT-GROUP
William Graham Sumner differentiates groups into in-groups and out-groups.
a. In-groups are those groups to which individuals belong and towards which they feel pride and have a strong loyalty.
For example, one’s own family, peer group, friendship group, religious group, caste group, linguistic group, etc.
b. Out-groups are groups to which they do not belong and towards which they may feel contempt and even hostility.
For example, imagine a school with several house groups where students are assigned to one of four houses: Red House, Blue House, Green House, and Yellow House. A student strongly identifies with the Blue House and considers it their ingroup. In this context, the Red House would be considered the outgroup for this student. The outgroup consists of students who belong to a different house with distinct house colours, mottos, and traditions. The student may perceive members of the Red House as having different allegiances and affiliations within the school, which can lead to friendly rivalries or competitions during school events.
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