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Description: In three experiments, we examined whether social categorization modulated one’s ability to control selective attention to perform goal-directed behavior under load. Participants in all experiments attempted to detect a target letter among letter strings superimposed on faces. White participants were significantly less accurate on trials with Black compared to White distractor face (Experiment 1). However, this pattern of racial bias was only evident under high perceptual load—when the task was difficult. Likewise, Black participants were less accurate on trials with White compared to Black distractor faces under high perceptual load (Experiment 2). In contrast, participants who were randomly assigned to a mixed-race minimal group revealed no evidence of racial bias. Instead, they were less accurate on trials with in-group compared to out-group distractor face were observed under high perceptual load (Experiment 3). The current research provides evidence that group membership plays a crucial role in guiding selective attention when cognitive resources are scarce. (160 words)