PJ

Reducing Intergroup Conflict and Aggression

Reducing Intergroup Conflict and Aggression

Overview of Conflict Resolution

  • Chapter Reference: Pages 497-525

  • The study of reducing conflict and aggression involves understanding various processes and conditions that facilitate more effective intergroup relations.

Strategies for Reducing Conflict and Aggression

  1. Recognizing Situational Cues:

    • Understanding the context which may trigger aggression or conflict.

  2. Reconciling Goals and Aspirations:

    • Finding common interests between conflicting parties.

  3. Increasing Cooperation:

    • Formation of New and Inclusive Groups:

      • Establishing groups that integrate previously divided members.

    • Activating Cooperative Norms:

      • Promoting a culture of cooperation within groups.

Underlying Processes in Conflict

  • The following processes are critical in understanding conflict:

Cognitive Processes

  • Involves the information processing and perceptions that individuals hold regarding out-group members.

Affective Processes

  • The role of empathy in bridging divides between groups, allowing one to understand the feelings of others.

Normative Processes

  • Accessibility and activation of norms contribute to guidelines that govern behavior in conflict situations.

Cooperation as a Means of Conflict Resolution

  1. Recognizing Similarity:

    • Identifying shared attributes which can help in reducing perceived differences.

  2. Reducing Differences:

    • Strategies can be implemented to minimize perceived disparities among group members.

  3. Rehumanizing the Out-group:

    • Efforts to restore humanity to opposing groups, moving past stereotypes.

  4. Establishing a New Positive Identity:

    • Superordinate Identity:

      • A shared identity that transcends individual differences.

    • Common Ingroup Identity:

      • The formation of a collective identity that enhances group cohesion.

Cooperation as Prejudice Reduction

  • When maintaining positive identities:

    • Each subgroup has distinct roles within the common group structure.

    • The contributions of each subgroup are recognized and valued.

Contact Hypothesis (Allport, 1954)

  • Underlying principle that intergroup contact under specific conditions can reduce prejudice:

    • Optimal Conditions for Contact:

    1. Common goals.

    2. Successful cooperation.

    3. Equal status among group members.

    4. Support from social norms and authorities.

Meta-analysis of Prejudice and Intergroup Contact (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2008)

  • Findings indicated a correlation between intergroup contact and reductions in prejudice. The analysis analyzed a sample size of over 2000 participants, demonstrating an average mean correlation coefficient of -0.21.

  • The graph representing these findings outlines the correlation of Contact versus Prejudice, revealing a significant negative correlation of -0.342 for Intergroup Contact and -0.247 for Anxiety relative to prejudice.

Avoiding Subtyping and Achieving Generalization (Pettigrew, 1998)

  • Process of achieving generalization involves three stages:

    1. Decategorization Stage:

    • Heightened awareness of personal identity rather than group identity.

    1. Social Categorization:

    • Awareness of group categories and salience.

    1. Recategorization:

    • Acknowledging a superordinate group that encompasses all subgroups.

Colorblind Ideology

  • Definition:

    • A perspective insisting that racial and ethnic differences should be disregarded.

  • Implications:

    • Encourages ignoring group differences instead of addressing them, leading to the marginalization of minority cultural practices and encouraging assimilation.

Social Change and Prejudice Reduction

  • Irony of Harmony:

    • The tension between reducing prejudice and fostering social change, often leading to diminished importance of original identities and blurred group boundaries.

Role of Empathy

  • Impact of Empathy on Aggression:

    • Empathy serves as a barrier to aggression, countering dehumanization and allowing for perspective taking among group members.

  • Potential Backfire of Empathy:

    • In certain instances, empathy can trigger meta-stereotypes, which arise when individuals reflect on how they are perceived negatively by others (Vorauer & Sasaki, 2009).

Norms and Aggression Minimization

  • Non-aggressive Norms:

    • It is effective to minimize cues for aggression within in-group settings, promoting norms that discourage hostile interactions.

Negotiation Processes

  • Definition:

    • Negotiation involves communication aimed at reaching agreement, balancing shared interests with conflicting ones to create mutually acceptable solutions.

  • Types of Solutions:

    • Distributive Solutions:

    • Approaches that focus on splitting the difference (win-lose).

    • Integrative Solutions:

    • Solutions that aim for win-win scenarios where all parties benefit.

Challenges of Negotiation

  • Common Negotiation Issues:

    • Time Pressure:

    • Time constraints can escalate conflicts and hinder resolution efforts.

    • Biased Perceptions:

    • Misunderstandings can arise due to preconceived biases among negotiating parties.

    • Lack of Trust:

    • Trust issues complicate mutual agreements and can lead to breakdowns in communication.

  • Strategies for Improvement:

    • Breaking down conflicts into manageable issues to simplify negotiations.

    • GRIT (Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension Reduction):

    • A strategy proposed by Osgood (1959) aimed at fostering trust through reciprocated concessions.

Involving Third Parties in Negotiation

  • Benefits of Third-Party Involvement:

    • The mediation process helps bridge communication gaps and offers fresh insights that can prevent agenda conflicts.

    • Facilitating “face-saving” opportunities for involved parties, aiding in stress reduction.

    • Arbitration:

    • When mediators make binding decisions to resolve disputes.