Biais de discrimination et statut social : une étude de terrain sur les relations intergroupes
Résumé
This study concerns discrimination bias in relations between work groups. As new developments in categorisation theory have shown, several factors modulate the effects of inter-group categorisation. Among these, status is viewed as introducing conflict between groups. We studied the impact of this factor in a work situation where status was not linked to power, choosing a firm in which relations between groups were conflict provoking. Three work groups within the same mobile phone firm were selected on the basis of their status : the ''Hard'' group, considered as high status in relation to the low status ''Administration'' group, and the ''Production'' group with an intermediary position. Thirty-five participants completed a questionnaire evaluating staff members (seven chosen at random from each group) by giving a score (from 0 to 10) for ability, intelligence and sociability. The results confirm the statutory position of each group : ''Hard'' has the highest status, ''Administration'' the lowest, and ''Production'' an intermediate status relatively close to the production group. The results also confirm the existence of a discrimination bias and show different strategies linked to status. The high status group discriminate against the lower groups through an outgroup de-favouritism'' bias in order to maintain their dominant position, while the lower groups seek to improve their social standing through an ''in-group favouritism'' bias or even an ''out-group favouritism''