Abstracts Psychology

Group processes and the perception of discrimination

by Evelyne. Bougie

The present thesis describes a group-oriented program of research designed to investigate the experience of victims of discrimination. Ninety female college students were tested in small groups and confronted with the possibility of their having been discriminated against by a male student on a test. Women assessed the extent to which the received feedback was due to discrimination or their answers on the test, prior to and following a group discussion. Results indicated that contrary to previous research in which women consistently minimised discrimination as a reason for group-based negative feedback, women in the present experiment were willing to acknowledge discrimination. Results are interpreted in terms of the influence of social sharing of emotional and informational support with ingroup members after receiving feedback where discrimination might be implied. The thesis emphasizes the importance of social networks for disadvantaged group members who need to cope with the possibility of being targets for discrimination.