When In‐Groups Turn Hostile: Criminal Record, Intergroup Bias, and the Black Sheep Effect in Eyewitness Judgments

ABSTRACT Confirmation and intergroup biases significantly influence legal decision‐making, particularly in evaluations of evidence and credibility. While prior research has examined ethnicity and criminal history separately, little is known about their interaction in shaping perceptions of eyewitness effectiveness. In this study, 324 Israeli‐Jewish participants assessed an eyewitness—either Israeli‐Arab or Israeli‐Jewish—with or without a criminal record. Drawing on social identity theory, we hypothesized that in‐group eyewitnesses would be evaluated more favorably than out‐group eyewitnesses, particularly when a criminal record was present. Contrary to this prediction, Israeli‐Arab eyewitnesses were rated as more effective than Israeli‐Jewish eyewitnesses. A significant interaction revealed that Israeli‐Jewish eyewitnesses with a criminal record were perceived as less effective than their Israeli‐Arab counterparts, whereas no ethnic differences emerged when no record was present. Findings highlight the joint influence of intergroup dynamics and criminal history, and underscore the need for future replication using more ecologically valid and diverse methodologies.