Outgroups only become cognitively real once we label them

Evidence

This notion is illustrated in Allport’s (1954/1979) signature phrase, “nouns that cut slices” (p. 174), referring to the group labels that cluster the social world into meaningful groups for the perceiver. This is also illustrated in direct statements, such as “until we label an outgroup it does not clearly exist in our minds” (p. 49). — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1261

Categorization

• DEFINE: The ‘nouns that cut slices’ phrase is Allport’s metaphor for labels actively carving up the social world.