Hypo-egoic identity, prejudice, and intergroup relations
People’s identities are based primarily on characteristics that distinguish them from other people. However, some people’s identities are influenced by their beliefs about their connections with humanity and the world, connections that emphasize similarity or sameness rather than difference. This article examines the implications of possessing such a hypo-egoic identity, focusing on four constructs: The metapersonal self, allo-inclusive identity, identification with all humanity, and the belief in oneness. As would be predicted by research on the effects of having a common ingroup identity, people who endorse a hypo-egoic identity seem to have a more positive, inclusive, and beneficent orientation toward other people and to be less prejudiced.
