<p>The terms you are looking for are ingroups and outgroups. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingroups_and_outgroups" rel="nofollow">From wikipedia</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In sociology and social psychology, an ingroup, is a social group to
  which a person psychologically identifies as being a member. By
  contrast, an outgroup is a social group to which an individual does
  not identify. For example, people may find it psychologically
  meaningful to view themselves according to their race, culture, gender
  or religion. It has been found that the psychological membership of
  social groups and categories is associated with a wide variety of
  phenomena.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Googling got me to this <a href="http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/48648_ch_7.pdf" rel="nofollow">book chapter</a> on the topic, but there's plenty more information out there.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-29T21:01:20.483Z
That sounds like a very plausible answer, and I'm finding your links quite informative. I'm hung up on something though: Was Joseph Goebbels really a vocal supporter of German superiority because he identified strongly as a member of a group (i.e. -- nationalist Nazi Germans) or because he really believed that Germans were superior? Is the motivation behind these sentiments due to the group itself, or because of the ideas, irrespective of whether there even is a group? I might be very passionate about a religion I invented, regardless of whether anyone else believes in the religion.
Logical Fallacy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-29T19:39:54.443Z
2013-08-29T19:39:54.443Z
Ana
<p>In group, out group behavior would likely be the base topic for which you're looking.</p>

<p>I have my own thoughts and theories on the topic, but if you want to delve into some psychological reasons for why in group, out group behavior occurs, you may want to look at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink" rel="nofollow"><strong>group think</strong>,</a> (people tend to go along with groups even if they disagree at first) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect" rel="nofollow"><strong>the bystander effect</strong></a> (when responsibility is dispersed among many people, it's less likely someone will do anything about a problem) and <strong>confirmation bias</strong> (the tendency to see evidence as confirming what you already believe).</p>

<p>If you want some more biological/neurological reasons for the cause, look into mirror neurons. The research suggests that when someone sees something happen to someone else, good or bad, the person seeing it feels essentially the same emotions as the person experiencing it, and the intensity of the observer's feelings seem to be correlated to the amount which that person looks and identifies with the observed person.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-29T21:06:46.957Z
2013-08-29T21:06:46.957Z
GetSwifty
<p>Another useful source might be research that manipulates group membership, especially to create totally new groups. If membership alone is the mechanism for these effects, then we'd expect ingroup favoritism even with novel, manipulated groups. And that's what is found. Tajfel's work, and follow-ups, show that individuals quickly and easily categorize people by group membership, and then use that membership to determine cognitions and behaviors.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimal_group_paradigm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimal_group_paradigm</a></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-24T11:00:30.990Z
2018-08-24T11:00:30.990Z
Cameron Brick
<p>Humans tend to evaluate things primarily based on similarity/proximity with thyself and their faiths both in terms of time, space. Their association tendency is directly proportional to the similarity and a feeling of self-worth.</p>
<p>Associative memory and availability heuristics are classical examples.
Ref: Thinking fast and slow - Daniel Khneman</p>
<p>For eg:
Nationalism is space associated. Most likely people identify themselves among a people of similar beliefs. In other words nationalism can be thought of as something like a religion (but based on different fundamental principles; likely to be termed as constitutions).</p>
<p>If some association can improve one's feeling of self-worth we humans tend to assume the association with that particular identity be it physical thing (leader, boss, celebrity) or conceptual thing (religion, 'isms, Philosophy). Association with a product is something of this kind. This is the principle behind shopping derived satisfaction.</p>
<p><strong>EDIT</strong>
The answer I posted has got its roots largely from &quot;Thinking fast and slow&quot; by Daniel Khneman.</p>
<p>Self-worth and the feeling of &quot;I&quot; is Freudian based.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-17T10:11:45.077Z
Welcome to Psychology.SE. Please visit our site [tour]. There are a lot of bold claims in your answer without corroborated evidence. We work differently to many SE sites, where we have a strict policy that [all answers should be backed up with reliable references](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/406/7604) so that the answer can be independently verified, regardless of the reader's/answerer's background. If you still have trouble with this, feel free to visit the [help] or [meta]. Unreferenced claims can be challenged and lead to deletion of your answer.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-17T12:51:15.440Z
Thanks @ChrisRogers. I would definitely. Would you be kind to point me the things for which references would improve value to the answer. I have edited my answer adding few points.
Bussller
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-18T00:29:29.157Z
I have gone through the site tour and the answers should be backed with references and added an edit.
Bussller
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-17T08:44:46.483Z
2021-03-18T00:34:12.390Z
2021-03-18T00:34:12.390Z
Bussller
<p>I'm interested in doing research on the subject of nationalism, but I believe that what I'm looking for is more generic than that. I observe that nationalism looks similar to the way that people feel about their sports team or their favorite product or their religion or their race. People proselytize for these things, and people sometimes kill over them (e.g. -- soccer riots). I note also that this kind of devotion can also produce strong negative feelings towards the other teams, countries, etc.</p>

<p>In each case, a person exhibiting this behavior with respect to a country, sports team, or product has at least one of the following characteristics (maybe others?).</p>

<ol>
<li>Person <strong>identifies</strong> personally with X.</li>
<li>Person feels a sense of <strong>belonging</strong> with others who also identify with X.</li>
<li>Person is inclined to <strong>convince others</strong> that they should also follow/admire/believe X.</li>
</ol>

<p>Is there an underlying mechanism behind these symptoms or term that describes this behavior? What is the body of study that examines these types of behaviors (causes, definitions, and effects)? If there isn't a particular term for this as a generic subject of study, are there at least some studies that examine the common features of these behaviors?</p>

<p>What I have researched so far: <a href="https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/3988">This question</a> helped a little bit in thinking about this issue, but I'm not sure it answers my question. Also, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maslow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Maslow's hierarchy of needs</a> points to "respect by others" and "belonging" as posibilities, but I don't know much beyond that or where to look.</p>

<hr>

<p>Update</p>

<p>I'm stuck. I'm just not sure that ingroups and outgroups really characterize the <strong>fundamental mechanism behind why people hold some beliefs with evangelistic or violent fervor</strong>. That feature of human nature is not dependent on the existence of a group. If I try to convert someone to my way of thinking, I am not doing so because of a group to which I belong. Certainly group behaviors that @PEEJWEEJ mentioned can feed such sentiments, but like I mentioned to @Ana, I'm not convinced that the group itself is the cause. Perhaps I could be persuaded otherwise, but I think there's something else going on here.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-30T17:26:40.487Z
Is it **identity**? That would span both individual identity and identity as part of a group. Related: http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/4228
Logical Fallacy
<social-psychology><experimental-psychology>
What is the primary mechanism behind nationalism, sports-team-ism, product-ism etc.?
Logical Fallacy
# What is the primary mechanism behind nationalism, sports-team-ism, product-ism etc.?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-08-29)

I'm interested in doing research on the subject of nationalism, but I believe that what I'm looking for is more generic than that. I observe that nationalism looks similar to the way that people feel about their sports team or their favorite product or their religion or their race. People proselytize for these things, and people sometimes kill over them (e.g. -- soccer riots). I note also that this kind of devotion can also produce strong negative feelings towards the other teams, countries, etc.

In each case, a person exhibiting this behavior with respect to a country, sports team, or product has at least one of the following characteristics (maybe others?).

1. Person **identifies** personally with X.
2. Person feels a sense of **belonging** with others who also identify with X.
3. Person is inclined to **convince others** that they should also follow/admire/believe X.

Is there an underlying mechanism behind these symptoms or term that describes this behavior? What is the body of study that examines these types of behaviors (causes, definitions, and effects)? If there isn't a particular term for this as a generic subject of study, are there at least some studies that examine the common features of these behaviors?

What I have researched so far: [This question](https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/3988) helped a little bit in thinking about this issue, but I'm not sure it answers my question. Also, [Maslow's hierarchy of needs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maslow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg) points to "respect by others" and "belonging" as posibilities, but I don't know much beyond that or where to look.

---

Update

I'm stuck. I'm just not sure that ingroups and outgroups really characterize the **fundamental mechanism behind why people hold some beliefs with evangelistic or violent fervor**. That feature of human nature is not dependent on the existence of a group. If I try to convert someone to my way of thinking, I am not doing so because of a group to which I belong. Certainly group behaviors that @PEEJWEEJ mentioned can feed such sentiments, but like I mentioned to @username_1, I'm not convinced that the group itself is the cause. Perhaps I could be persuaded otherwise, but I think there's something else going on here.

**Tags:** social-psychology, experimental-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Is it **identity**? That would span both individual identity and identity as part of a group. Related: http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/4228  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-08-29. Score: 4

The terms you are looking for are ingroups and outgroups. [From wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingroups_and_outgroups):

> In sociology and social psychology, an ingroup, is a social group to
> which a person psychologically identifies as being a member. By
> contrast, an outgroup is a social group to which an individual does
> not identify. For example, people may find it psychologically
> meaningful to view themselves according to their race, culture, gender
> or religion. It has been found that the psychological membership of
> social groups and categories is associated with a wide variety of
> phenomena.

Googling got me to this [book chapter](http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/48648_ch_7.pdf) on the topic, but there's plenty more information out there.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That sounds like a very plausible answer, and I'm finding your links quite informative. I'm hung up on something though: Was Joseph Goebbels really a vocal supporter of German superiority because he identified strongly as a member of a group (i.e. -- nationalist Nazi Germans) or because he really believed that Germans were superior? Is the motivation behind these sentiments due to the group itself, or because of the ideas, irrespective of whether there even is a group? I might be very passionate about a religion I invented, regardless of whether anyone else believes in the religion.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-08-29. Score: 3

In group, out group behavior would likely be the base topic for which you're looking.

I have my own thoughts and theories on the topic, but if you want to delve into some psychological reasons for why in group, out group behavior occurs, you may want to look at [**group think**,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink) (people tend to go along with groups even if they disagree at first) [**the bystander effect**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect) (when responsibility is dispersed among many people, it's less likely someone will do anything about a problem) and **confirmation bias** (the tendency to see evidence as confirming what you already believe).

If you want some more biological/neurological reasons for the cause, look into mirror neurons. The research suggests that when someone sees something happen to someone else, good or bad, the person seeing it feels essentially the same emotions as the person experiencing it, and the intensity of the observer's feelings seem to be correlated to the amount which that person looks and identifies with the observed person.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-08-24. Score: 1

Another useful source might be research that manipulates group membership, especially to create totally new groups. If membership alone is the mechanism for these effects, then we'd expect ingroup favoritism even with novel, manipulated groups. And that's what is found. Tajfel's work, and follow-ups, show that individuals quickly and easily categorize people by group membership, and then use that membership to determine cognitions and behaviors.

> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimal_group_paradigm>


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-03-17. Score: 1

Humans tend to evaluate things primarily based on similarity/proximity with thyself and their faiths both in terms of time, space. Their association tendency is directly proportional to the similarity and a feeling of self-worth.

Associative memory and availability heuristics are classical examples.
Ref: Thinking fast and slow - Daniel Khneman

For eg:
Nationalism is space associated. Most likely people identify themselves among a people of similar beliefs. In other words nationalism can be thought of as something like a religion (but based on different fundamental principles; likely to be termed as constitutions).

If some association can improve one's feeling of self-worth we humans tend to assume the association with that particular identity be it physical thing (leader, boss, celebrity) or conceptual thing (religion, 'isms, Philosophy). Association with a product is something of this kind. This is the principle behind shopping derived satisfaction.

**EDIT**
The answer I posted has got its roots largely from "Thinking fast and slow" by Daniel Khneman.

Self-worth and the feeling of "I" is Freudian based.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Welcome to Psychology.SE. Please visit our site [tour]. There are a lot of bold claims in your answer without corroborated evidence. We work differently to many SE sites, where we have a strict policy that [all answers should be backed up with reliable references](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/406/7604) so that the answer can be independently verified, regardless of the reader's/answerer's background. If you still have trouble with this, feel free to visit the [help] or [meta]. Unreferenced claims can be challenged and lead to deletion of your answer.  
> **username_4**: Thanks @ChrisRogers. I would definitely. Would you be kind to point me the things for which references would improve value to the answer. I have edited my answer adding few points.  
> **username_4**: I have gone through the site tour and the answers should be backed with references and added an edit.  

---

