What does the term outgroup refer to?

The term outgroup refers to individuals or groups that are perceived as different or distinct from one's own ingroup. In social psychology, the ingroup is the group with which a person identifies, while the outgroup comprises those who are seen as outsiders. This distinction is important in understanding various social dynamics, such as prejudice, discrimination, and intergroup conflict. Members of an outgroup are often viewed with suspicion or hostility due to their differences in identity, beliefs, or characteristics. Recognizing the existence of an outgroup can influence social behavior, leading to phenomena like ingroup favoritism, where individuals show preference for their ingroup members while potentially displaying negative biases toward outgroup members.