Groups elicit more fear and appear more threatening than individuals.

Evidence

Because individuals are no longer categorized as outgroup members, the biases that arise from social categorization are reduced (Wilder, 1978). Research has indicated that groups are typically perceived to be more threatening and elicit more fear than individuals (Insko, Schopler, Hoyle, Dardis, & Graetz, 1990; Schopler et al., 1993), therefore, weakening social category boundaries could potentially reduce intergroup threat. — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes, 171

Categorization

• SHARE: Send to a colleague working on dehumanization/individuation effects who would want the group-versus-individual fear asymmetry citation set (Insko & Schopler lineage).
• XREF: connects to: Groups are judged more threatening than the individuals composing them — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup…, 172; Groups are perceived as more threatening than individuals, so dissolving category boundaries lowers threat.; Individual threat evokes fear while group threat evokes anger — Walter G. Stephan, Oscar Ybarra, Kimberly Rios Morrison, Intergroup Threat Theory, 19 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Groups are judged more threatening than the individuals composing them #expands (0.94) — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes, 172
• Groups are perceived as more threatening than individuals, so dissolving category boundaries lowers threat. #expands (0.92)
• Individual threat evokes fear while group threat evokes anger #complicates (0.78) — Walter G. Stephan, Oscar Ybarra, Kimberly Rios Morrison, Intergroup Threat Theory, 19
• Perceived ingroup strength converts threats from fear into anger #qualifies (0.78) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2270
• Group anger drives confrontation while fear drives avoidance #qualifies (0.75) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 339
• Threat is felt on behalf of one’s membership groups, not just oneself #expands (0.74)
• Fear-driven groups become the very threat they fear #expands (0.72) — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 417