Abstract: Crossed categorization has generally been considered as a way to effectively reducing intergroup bias. The algebraic models of crossed categorization included average pattern, additive pattern and equivalence, each of which had its evidence and among which the additive model received most approval. However, there were obvious limitations in the algebraic models of crossed categorization; that was, requiring all the crossed categories were weighted equally, which was not the case with social categories in real world. The underlying processes of crossed categorization mostly referred to category differentiation process in cognitive approach and social identity theory in motivational approach, and the former was classified into category differentiation elimination model and category differentiation reduction model.

Key words: crossed categorization, intergroup bias, the algebraic models, underlying processes