Outgroup Homogeneity Effect

The Outgroup Homogeneity Effect is the tendency to view an outgroup as homogenous, or as “all the same,” whereas the ingroup is seen as more heterogeneous or varied.

For example, a woman who lives in a big city might believe that everyone from the country or a small town is stupid, whereas she thinks that people from the city can be smart, stupid, or something in between. When the woman meets a small town person who is very intelligent, she considers him or her an exception to the norm. Overgeneralizing in this way about outgroup traits contributes to stereotyping.