Generalisation of Roma onto Romanians: Evidence of the Outgroup Projection Effect

Outgroup projection is the tendency to generalise among members of different outgroups as if their members were all alike. The present study analysed this almost unexplored phenomenon and tested whether intergroup threat enhances the tendency to generalise the members of a negatively-valued outgroup (i.e., Roma) onto another larger (partially) inclusive outgroup (i.e., Romanians). Evidence showed that Roma are generalised to Romanians to a higher extent under realistic and symbolic threat conditions. Outgroup projection is discussed in relation to the ingroup projection bias and the ingroup over-exclusion effect.