Dual identity, the simultaneous identification with both subordinate and superordinate self-categories has important effects on intergroup relations. One important question is how such dual identity is cognitively possible. We tested whether activation of subcategories facilitates (due to spread of activation) or inhibits (due to functional antagonism) co-activation of superordinate self-categories by measuring response latencies in lexical decision tasks. Following self-categorization theory, we predicted and found that co-activation is inhibited, but only when superordinate self-categories are relevant as background for subgroup comparisons. In Experiment 1 this effect occurred after subgroup identification was made salient. In Experiment 2 comparison-relevant superordinate self-categories were inhibited only after comparison-mindset priming, not after alternative mind-set priming (simple categorization and association tasks).We conclude that simultaneous activation of nested self-categories, the cognitive basis of dual identity, is possible, but more difficult to achieve when subgroup comparisons are salient.

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social categorization,intergroup bias,superordinate category relevance