Response to: “Warming up - Outgroup Homogeneity Bias”

I’ve decided to start a new thread because I figured that no one would read Daniel’s original post’s comments.

I agree with the two views being the mainstream ways that individuals view themselves (I personally belong, for the most part, to the latter – trait ascription bias). The existence of these, in my opinion, is due to the egocentric nature of humanity – which is a direct consequence of the evolutionary personal survival instinct. To evolve as a species we must all feel a certain superiority to make our (personal or group) life better. Imagine if we had bee-like minds and our only thoughts were of immediate survival paired with the protection of the clan, it would take millennia of accidental genetic mutations before we could improve our lives and our chances to survive. With our higher self-esteem, we are able to convince ourselves that we (once again, individuals or groups) deserve a better environment than others, and so, we work harder to create a better world for ourselves and evolve not genetically but socially and mentally.

Whether each individual is “ego-” or “ethno-” centric, does not matter because of the binary nature of our minds. We all have both views within us – simply one dominates. I like to think that I see myself as both an individual and a part of our species although the spectrum goes further. In reality, if one wishes to be “just” (correct) and in harmony, one should see oneself as part of the world’s ecosystem and then the entire universe. This is perhaps what the Buddhists were hinting on?

So, yes, I believe that we need to feel more complex than others but not as a means to build a sense of identity but because it’s a simple instinct of survival.