Out Groups Research Paper

Ambar Delacruz Essay 1: In-groups and Out-groups. Our society is made of many social groups, within these social groups there are groups in which we can be categorized into. These groups are known as in-groups and out-groups. A social group is a set of two or more individuals who share a sense of common identity and belonging and who interact on a regular basis. These groups of individuals interact more or less regularly and who are conscious or aware of their identity as a unit. The first category is the in-group. The in-group is the group to which we belong to. These are the people like us. The second category is the out-group. The out-group is the people not like us, these people are foreign and mysterious. Ethnocentrism plays an important role in relations between in and out groups. Ethnocentrism is the tendency to judge other cultures

For example, Most Americans do not eat Indian food, while Indian food is a popular food in other places like Britain and curry is eaten at least once a week. Curry and Indian food is more of a new flavor to the United States. The smell and look are very different so people are put off by it and judge it without even trying it. Some of the comments Americans make are, it looks unappetizing, it's like colored gravy mush and it makes me gag, if I eat it, it will make me smell bad, it taste like it was wrapped in a dirty sock, and last but not least its nasty, smelly, and why would anyone eat this. In this example, the in-group would in Americans and the out-group would be the Indians and their food. The Americans are putting the Indian food outside of their group and culture. Another example of ethnocentrism in regards to food is the edible snail Conch. Conch is an important food source for natives of Haiti and the Bahamas. The shell and meat is used for a facial cream that