Group Size, Outcome Dependency, and Power

Social groups seldom occupy a similar position in society in terms of group size, power and status. Among these variables, many scholars consider power-or the extent to which individuals influence others and control their outcomes-the central variable underlying asymmetric intergroup relations. For instance, power differences among social groups have been pointed out to underlie intergroup discrimination, differences in status between groups (e.g., Jones, 1972; Marger, 1985), and majority-minority intergroup conflict (e.g., DeNardo, 1985; Farley, 1982; Tajfel, 1978).