What are intergroup relations?
The scientific study of how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by group membership and how people from different groups relate to and treat one another.
What key questions do intergroup relations explore?
- When, why, and how do people think, feel, and act as group members (“us”)?
- When, why, and how do we perceive and interact with others as group members (“them”)?
- What are the consequences of these perceptions for individuals and group dynamics?
What is the central claim of PSYC 363?
Much of how we think, feel, and act is shaped not just by personal identity, but by the groups we belong to and identify with.
What makes an interaction an intergroup interaction?
When individuals psychologically represent themselves and others as group members, not just as individuals.
Do intergroup relations require large groups?
No, they can occur between two people if both perceive each other as representing different groups.
How does the situation influence intergroup relations?
Context can make group identities more or less salient, shifting interactions from interpersonal to intergroup.
Example of shifting from interpersonal to intergroup?
A date becomes intergroup when a sexist remark makes gender identities salient, prompting defensive and collective responses.
Why are popular discussions of intergroup relations often misleading? (6)
- They focus on extreme negativity due to negativity bias.
- They ignore mundane, everyday intergroup interactions.
- They overemphasize stability and fatalism in group dynamics.
- They fail to define key concepts like racism and sexism clearly.
- They confuse correlation with causation.
- They oversimplify complex identities and psychological processes.
What is negativity bias in intergroup relations?
We pay more attention to negative interactions, which can distort our understanding of group dynamics.
Why is it important to define concepts like racism and sexism in discussions?
Different definitions can lead to miscommunication and talking past each other.
What are some causes of prejudice?
Feelings of threat
* Societal norms
* Positive or negative cross-group contact
* Parental influence
What are two strong predictors of prejudice?
Lack of positive cross-group contact and societal norms.
What is mediation in psychological research?
It explains how or why an independent variable affects a dependent variable through a third variable (mediator).
Example of mediation in environmental support?
- Identification with nature → empathy → increased support
- Identification with nature → fear of threats → increased support
When do intergroup relations occur?
When people think, feel, and act as members of a group (“us”) and interact with others as members of a different group (“them”).
What makes an interaction not an intergroup relation?
If people are thinking of themselves and others at the individual level, not as group members.
What role does the situation play in intergroup relations?
The situation can make group identities more or less salient, influencing whether an interaction is interpersonal or intergroup.
Why is a heterosexual date not necessarily an intergroup interaction?
If the individuals are engaging based on personal identity (e.g., hobbies), not gender group identity, it remains interpersonal.
What shifts the date scenario into an intergroup interaction?
A sexist remark highlights gender identities, prompting both individuals to respond as group members.
Why do popular discussions often misrepresent intergroup relations?
They focus on extreme negativity, ignore mundane interactions, and oversimplify complex group dynamics.
What is negativity bias in intergroup relations?
We pay more attention to negative interactions, which skews our perception of group dynamics.
Why is it misleading to focus only on large societal groups?
Intergroup relations also occur in everyday settings with less visible groups (e.g., transit riders, students, employees).
Why is it problematic to assume intergroup relations are stable?
Group dynamics can change rapidly due to social context, historical events, or collective action.
What does it mean that identities are complex?
People belong to multiple intersecting groups, and identity salience depends on social context.
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Week 133
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Week 231
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Wright & Taylor42
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week 351
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Week 4 Prejudice and Moderation17
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Bullock 2008 Justifying Inequality37
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Guest Lecture20
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Ambivalent Sexism42
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Collective Action through Social Change (Wright 2010)41
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Lecture 9 Stereotype content model22
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Lecture 10 Sexisim22
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uncertain self in a changing world26
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Lecture 11 Social Identity23
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Uncertainty Identity Theory65
