People prioritize beating an out-group over maximizing their own group’s profit

Evidence

MD was the most influential strategy in the choices. Furthermore, when the subjects could choose in-group favoritism (MD+MIP) and/or a fairness strategy, they were both more discriminatory and less fair toward the relevant than the irrelevant comparison group. Other measures of ingroup favoritism produced an interaction between reward level and type of out-group: more discrimination against the relevant than the irrelevant group with high rewards, and less with low rewards. … Indeed, insofar as the subjects used the MD strategy, they sacrificed “objective” personal and group gain for the sake of positive in-group distinctiveness. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2731 (#expands, via linked claim)

From social identity theory come the important notions that the conflict between groups is not necessarily or even primarily designed to maximize the absolute material return to the ingroup but rather to maximize the relative return to the ingroup, sometimes even at the cost of substantial material loss to both the self and the ingroup. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3269 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Groups seek relative advantage over absolute material gain, even at self-cost; Groups sometimes sacrifice absolute gain to achieve relative advantage over rivals — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3269; People sacrifice real profit just to outrank a comparable out-group. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2731 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• People sacrifice real profit just to outrank a comparable out-group. #expands (0.95) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2731
• Groups sometimes sacrifice absolute gain to achieve relative advantage over rivals #expands (0.93) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3269
• Groups sacrifice larger absolute gains for smaller ones that favor the in-group #expands (0.92)