Ingroup Hypocrisy

"When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way. From your first cigarette, to your last dying days."
--Riff (West Side Story)

Observers are pointing out the blatant differences between how Democrats and the mainstream media are treating accusations of sexual assault against Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden and Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh (nominated by a Republican president).

Democrats and Mainstream Media were 💯 sure and very vocal about Judge #Kavanaugh guilt. Now they are quite silent and fully satisfied regarding @JoeBiden's innocence. Don't let #JoeBiden and his supporters get away with nipping the #TaraReade evidence in the bud. @afbranco pic.twitter.com/fq9Idx4ZN3

— Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) April 30, 2020

I have no idea if Tara Reade is telling the truth, but her story is far more credible and has far more corroborating evidence than Kavanaugh’s accuser ever did. Yet Democrats believed Kavanaugh’s accuser and don’t believe Biden’s accuser. That’s insanely hypocritical.

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) May 1, 2020

Such hypocrisy should not be surprising, however. Social identity theory predicts it. Questionable behavior of out-group members is likely to be criticized, while similar behavior by in-group members is likely to be given a free pass.

Why might leftists be more prone to such hypocrisy? Leftists by nature are more collectivistic, meaning they are more prone to drawn to, and identify with, groups. Because they identify more with their group, leftists are more likely to display affiliation bias.