Abstract
Three studies and supplement study were conducted to investigate the relations of ingroup-and-outgroup difference and ingroup consensus estimation. In Study 1 and its replication Study 2 hypothesized that the greater informed difference between ingroup and outgroup regarding certain topic (universally evaluated quality or variably evaluated quality) would elicit a higher level of ingroup consensus estimation. In the two studies using university students, the hypothesis was partially confirmed. The supplement study revealed that when the topic was evaluated as relevant for the relationship of two particular groups, the instructions of the intergroup difference changed the level of the ingroup consensus estimation as predicted. In Study 3 using the businessman sample, there were positive correlations between the degree of perceived intergroup difference and the level of ingroup consensus estimation regardless of the topics. It was suggested based upon these results that the perception of intergroup difference between ingroup and outgroup is related to the level of ingroup consensus estimation when the issue is evaluated as relevant for the particular intergroup relationship.
