Overlap of Self, Ingroup, and Outgroup: Pictorial Measures of Self-Categorization

Everyday language suggests that spatial metaphors are used to describe one's relation to a group and the relation between two groups. Building on previous work in the domain of interpersonal relations, three graphical items for the overlap of self and ingroup, self and outgroup, and ingroup and outgroup are proposed. Three survey studies with different types of groups show the convergent validity of these items. Assessments of subjective interpretations of the graphical scales corroborate the correlational evidence. Finally, an experimental study confirms that the correlations between the three items are sensible indicators of self-categorization as determined by the intergroup context.

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