A systematic review of ego depletion phenomenon in group-based hierarchical relations

Introduction This systematic review examines the relationship between intergroup relations and ego depletion, aiming to understand how self-control resources are affected in social hierarchies. Methods A total of 35 peer-reviewed articles and four unpublished doctoral dissertations were reviewed. Findings were categorized based on the social position of the target person’s group in intergroup interactions. Results Intergroup contacts depleted the self-control resources of dominant group members when they were required to suppress biases. For subordinate group members, engaging in intergroup interactions, witnessing bias, or facing bias threats also depleted self-control resources. Depleted dominant members exhibited increased prejudice and stereotyping, whereas depleted subordinate members showed lower perception of prejudiced behaviors and higher liking for dominant group members. Discussion The findings are interpreted within the framework of social dominance theory, highlighting how ego depletion influences intergroup relations and reinforcing the role of group-based hierarchies in shaping social behavior.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  Frontiers in Psychology

• Publication date

  2025-12-11

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Psychology

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1569692PMID 41459263PMCID 12738931
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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