DeDreu Et Al (socio, cog)

Question 1

DeDreu Et Al (socio)

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate the influence of oxytocin on in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination

Question 2

DeDreu Et Al (socio)

Procedure

Answer 2

• Approx 300 dutch male participants recruited online for a series of experiments including:
• Implicit bias test - task to test ethnocentrism
• Moral dilemma - task to test in-group favoritism (variations of “trolley choice” involving saving a single
  member of in-group or out-group over a small group, Out-group was an Arad or German man)
• Participants self-administered a nasal dose of oxytocin or placebo 40 min before computer task

Question 3

DeDreu Et Al (socio)

Findings

Answer 3

• Implicit bias test - compared with placebo, oxytocin group increase in in-group, but not more likely to sacrifice
  out-group
• Moral dilemma task -compared with placebo, oxytocin group less likely to sacrifice in-group, but not more
  likely to sacrifice out-group
• Supports hypothesis that oxytocin creates intergroup bias by increasing in-group favoritism and sometime
  out-group discrimination
  
  • Provides important piece of critical thinking in the evaluation of Social Identity Theory

Question 4

DeDreu Et Al (socio)

Strengths

Answer 4

• “Naturally-occurring” outgroups chosen from
  Dutch population and national surveys

Question 5

DeDreu Et Al (socio)

Limitations

Answer 5

• All male participants
• Ecological validity (well-known and artificial task)
• Participant variability may have influenced moral
  dilemma task (didn’t experience both conditions)

Question 6

DeDreu Et Al (socio)

Ethical Considerations

Answer 6

• Use of inducements (participants were paid 10
  euros)
• Deception (participants completed a series of
  tests but only ethnocentrism was the focus and
  were told it was a study that looking at the effect
  of medication on test scores and
  decision-making)

Question 7

DeDreu Et Al (socio)

Research Method

Answer 7

Experiment