Crisp and rhiannon turner 2009 and proposes that simply imagining a positive encounter with a member or members of an outgroup category can promote more positive intergroup attitudes. This is a pdf file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. An intergroup theory of social hierarchy and oppression. A vast body of research deriving from intergroup contact theory suggests that. Group conflict, or hostilities between different groups, is a pervasive feature common to all levels of social organization e. Social identity theory stages social identity theory stages. Dovidio, miles hewstone, peter glick, and victoria m. Bold new thinking is necessary to simultaneously leverage research on racial representations, acknowledge evidence of racial discord, and recognize and explore progress toward positive change in race relations. Intergroup conflict is seen in group members from 2 groups disagreeing.
The contact hypothesis the intergroup contact hypothesis was first proposed by allport 1954, who suggested. The individualbased approach attempts to reduce explanations of intergroup behaviour to explanations of interpersonal processes. The intergroup contact hypothesis was first proposed by allport 1954, who suggested that positive effects of intergroup contact occur in contact situations characterized by four key conditions. Intergroup contact theory posits that meaningful contact with members of an outgroup.
P, e behavior is a function of the person and their environment to group behavior. Tajfel and turner 1979 proposed that there are three mental processes involved in evaluating others as us or them i. Sherifs realistic group conflict theory the salience. It distinguishes between essential and facilitating factors, and emphasizes different outcomes for different stages of contact.
In a few promising examples, those knowing someone with aids. Intergroup conflict definition psychology glossary. While it is possible to hear about and learn about how groups get along in an abstract sense, many of our most vivid experiences of intergroup relations occur when we directly observe or participate in intergroup contact. Prejudice unless deeply rooted in the character structure of the individual may be reduced by equal status contact between majority and minority groups in the pursuit of common goals. Jul 22, 2019 social identity theory, which was formulated by social psychologist henri tajfel and john turner in the 1970s, describes the conditions under which social identity becomes more important than ones identity as an individual. The premise of allports theory states that under appropriate conditions interpersonal contact is one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice between majority and minority group members. A cultural perspective on intergroup relations and social. Intergroup relationships introduction to sociology. The contact hypothesis the intergroup contact hypothesis was first proposed by allport 1954, who suggested that positive effects of intergroup contact occur in contact situations characterized by four key conditions. Pdf allport specified four conditions for optimal intergroup contact. The systematic study of intergroup communication has its strongest roots in social psychology, together with sociopsychological areas of communication. The contact hypothesis explore bristol research university of. Abstract it is well established that intergroup contact is associated with more positive intergroup attitudes. Pdf the contact hypothesis allport, 1954 is one of the most influential and.
Intergroup conflict psychology oxford bibliographies. Esses abstract this chapter has two main objectives. A key work laying out some of the potential limitations of contact theory was the reduction of intergroup tensions, a monograph by the cornell university sociologist robin williams jr. Social identity theory, which was formulated by social psychologist henri tajfel and john turner in the 1970s, describes the conditions under which social identity becomes more important than ones identity as an individual. Implications of missing critical variables from an analysis of intergroup contact theory. Social psychological research on intergroup relations concerns the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors humans express when they think of themselves and others as members of social groups. Allport specified four conditions for optimal intergroup contact. Initially, its main focus was on intergroup conflict and intergroup relations more broadly. Tropp is particularly excited about this line of research. Intergroup contact hypothesis dr simon moss sicotests. Perceived threats have real consequences, regardless of whether or not the perceptions of threat are accurate. Conflicts based in ethnic, religious, and racial differences continue to erupt around the world, despite decades of intervention and scholarly research. Intergroup communication communication oxford bibliographies. A cultural perspective on intergroup relations and social identity abstract violent instances of intergroup conflict in recent memory have usually involved cultural groups, but theory and research on the psychology of intergroup relations is largely culture free.
The present article presents a metaanalytic test of intergroup contact theory. The term describing the dynamic rather than static processes that influence the ever changing relationships between groups, including intergroup stereotypi. The intergroup contact theory is based on the idea that interactions between members of different groups help improve intergroup attitudes and reduce intergroup tensions and prejudice. The term for disagreement or confrontation between two or more groups and their members. Intergroup definition, taking place or being between groups. Intergroup contact theory drew university college of. Multiple mechanisms have been proposed to explain just. According to this theory conflict between groups is the result of the perception of scarce resources, so under the conditions of economic deprivation, intergroup conflict would increase. We discuss how these findings help define an expanded vision for intergroup contact theory that moves beyond traditional conflictrelated outcomes. Intergroup behaviour psychology 2600 with mark rubin at.
They came to the conclusion that contact theory does work. Information and translations of intergroup in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Intragroup dynamics intro intragroup dynamics, also referred to as in group, withingroup, or commonly just group dynamics are the underlying processes that give rise to a set of norms, roles, relations, and common goals that characterize a particular social group. In the nature of prejudice, gordon allport 1954, p. A and the jim crow laws, gordon allport 1954 proposed one of the most important social psychological events of the 20th century, suggesting that contact between members of different groups under certain conditions can work to reduce. Intergroup behavior an overview sciencedirect topics. At the heart of this theory is the proposition that group members intergroup attitudes and behavior will tend to reflect the objective interests of their group visavis other groups. If you look up love in collins english dictionary, you will find the word defined as an intense emotion of affection, warmth, fondness, and regard towards a person or thing. Abstract allport specified four conditions for optimal intergroup contact.
This definition of allports establishes what is currently. Of this conceptualization for intergroup relations in stratified societies md insti are both evident and whenever so dlvlslon as power, prestige, walthbetween groups. The premise of allports theory states that under appropriate conditions interpersonal contact is one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice between majority and. Varied research supports the hypothesis, but four problems remain. This theory is supported by evidence from a famous study investigating group conflict. This may involve physical violence, interpersonal discord and. Social identity theory was developed as an integrative theory, as it aimed to connect cognitive processes and behavioral motivation. Jan 11, 2011 this video is about the contact hypothesis see allport, 1954. The approach combines 50 years of research into the effects of contact with recent advances. Intergroup contact, social dominance and environmental. Authoritarianism, relative deprivation, and intergroup contact. Reducing intergroup conflict through contact association. Understanding and responding to intergroup conflict.
However, this can also reflect any type of formal or informal disagreements between varying groups such as political parties or activist groups. Communication and intergroup relations oxford research. These findings supported an explanation for prejudice discrimination and intergroup conflict called the realistic group conflict theory. Extending the benefits of intergroup contact beyond attitudes. Research on intergroup contact has grown exponentially over the past decade. The contact hypothesis offers hope for the world science of us. Although groups can be based on ethnicity, gender, age, religion, politics, profession, or a myriad of other possible affiliations, all groups represent a piece of our identity that changes the way we experience and interact in a social world.
Imagining intergroup contact promotes projection to. The imagined contact hypothesis was put forward by richard j. Extending allports cognitive analysis of prejudice. For scholars of intergroup communication, group can be a broadly defined concept. According to allport, it is essential that the contact situation exhibits these factors to some degree. A reformulation of intergroup contact theory 75 individual differences shape contact effects 77 societies shape contact effects. Many researchers are interested in programs and initiatives that can curb prejudice and increase receptivity to diversity. Harder still to know is how best to move forward to alleviate conflict, promote reconciliation, and. Intergroup definition of intergroup by the free dictionary. In the last two decades, the research focus has been on the variables that explain why contact improves intergroup attitudes and when the contact.
Moments of intergroup conflict, harmony, discussion, negotiation, and intimacy are all moments of communication. Intergroup contact research suggests benefits may arise through indirect or imagined interracial contact wright, aron. Following wwii and the desegregation of the military and other public institutions, policymakers and social scientists had turned an eye towards the policy implications of interracial contact. In psychology and other social sciences, the contact hypothesis suggests that intergroup contact under appropriate conditions can effectively reduce prejudice between majority and minority group members. Gordon allports contact hypothesis facing history and. Intergroup conflict is one aspect of group conflict and is the conflict aroused in part by the efects of intergroup dynamics and ingroup outgroup forces. The aggregate relationship between extended contact and intergroup attitudes was r. Intergroup conflict refers to disagreements that exist between two or more groups and their respective members. Following pettigrew and tropp 2006, we define intergroup contact as actual. In terms of intergroup relations, he applied his formula of b. Contact is of utmost importance in reducing prejudice and promoting a more tolerant and integrated society and as such is a prime example of the real life applications that psychology can offer the world. Intergroup contact theory is among the more interesting and productive ideas from the past 50. In the current study, we focus on first year students of color making the transition into an msi, and utilize socialcognitive frameworks to understand how past experiences of bias and racebased threat may motivate students concerns about intergroup relations and racebased rejection, and ultimately inform their reasons for deciding to attend an msi.
Intergroup threat theory is a social psychological theory in that is it primarily concerned with perceptions of threat. The most tolerant form of intergroup relations is pluralism, in which no distinction is made between minority and majority groups, but instead theres equal standing. Apllort hypothesised that properly managed contact between groups should reduce these problems and lead to better interactions. Labbased and realworld studies have examined the impact of different types of interactions including facetoface contact, indirect forms of contact, and. All humans belong to many different types of social groups, ranging from smaller groupings of people such as ones circles of friends to larger social categories such as gender. Such generalization is pivotal if intergroup contact is to have broad and lasting consequences. This reductionist approach ignores important intergroup factors e. Intergroup contact theory has been one of the most influential theories in social psychology since it was first formulated by gordon allport in 1954.
This video is about the contact hypothesis see allport, 1954. First, following intergroup contact theory allport, 1954 individual. This may involve physical violence, interpersonal discord and psychological tension. As these examples illustrate, the concept of negative contact does not merely denote the absence of. Influence of intragroup dynamics and intergroup relations on. Communication research on race may overlook noteworthy progress in crossracial communication and interaction. Williams laid out 102 propositions empirically testable ones concerning under what conditions contact might or might not work. Allport is often credited with the development of the contact hypothesis, also known as intergroup contact theory.
This may involve physical violence, interpersonal discord and psyc. The approach combines 50 years of research into the effects of contact with recent advances in. Intergroup definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Such work forms the basis of a new theoretical model, developmental intergroup theory dit, which addresses the causal ingredients of stereotyping and prejudice. Thus, in contrast to the kinds of individual to individual intergroup contact that is central to interventions based on contact theory or involving cooperative learning, leaders can have a profound, cascading influence in representing and potentially changing prototypic intergroup relations. The central hypothesis of social identity theory is that group members of an ingroup will seek to find negative aspects of an outgroup, thus enhancing their selfimage. The theory behind this formula, which emphasizes that context shapes behavior in conjunction with an individuals motivations and beliefs, is a cornerstone of social psychological research. The focus here is on individuallevel psychological processes and interpersonal interactions in intergroup conflict, rather than on largescale conflicts. Robbers cave experiment realistic conflict theory simply. The chapter outlines a longitudinal intergroup contact theory. In this article, we outline a new implementation of intergroup contact theory. The generalization of effects problem nor does the hypothesis specify how the effects generalize beyond the immediate situation.
Intergroup communication also focuses on explaining conflict and miscommunication and, in particular, intergroup communication focuses on communication between dominant and subordinate groups. A broader theory of intergroup contact requires an explicit specification of the processes involved, which i provide below. Because stereotyping and prejudice emerge in early childhood, developmental research on causal mechanisms is critical for understanding and controlling stereotyping and prejudice. Dec 19, 2018 for scholars of intergroup communication, group can be a broadly defined concept. There are also some intriguing contacttheory findings which suggest that positive intergroup contact can cause majoritygroup members to be more likely to agitate on behalf of oppressed groups. For the purposes of this article, the effects of concern will be defined as the. It is difficult to assess precisely what contribution social science has made to an adequate diagnosis of the sources of violent conflict. Intergroup relations relationships between different groups of people range along a spectrum between tolerance and intolerance. Toward an integrated analysis abstract and keywords conflicts based in ethnic, religious, and racial differences continue to erupt around the world, despite decades of intervention and scholarly research. Intergroup behavior is usually valued as a response to real or imagined group interests. A novel framework for intergroup contact research usystem. Finally, both individual differences and societal norms shape intergroup contact effects.
The theory also specifies the ways in which social identity can influence intergroup behavior. The two most prominent theories, realistic group conflict theory. Thus, intergroup threat theory is not as concerned with the. For that reason, the theory was originally referred to as the social identity theory of intergroup relations.