PSYC12H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Realistic Conflict Theory, Contact Hypothesis, Ingroups And Outgroups
18 Apr 2013
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Document Summary
People tend to make assumptions about groups with which they have little contact, or about which they have little knowledge about. Contact hypothesis: the notion that bringing two outgroups together in a situation will result in decreased prejudice and stereotyping. Research indicates that in many situations of mere contact, roughly 50% of the interactions felt more positive about the outgroup, but about 50% of the time, people felt more negative toward the outgroup. Allport specified four fundamental criteria for positive intergroup contact to occur: equal-status members, common goals, intergroup cooperation, support of legitimate authority. Decategorization: when people begin to see each other in terms of their personalities and characteristics rather than their group membership. By individuating members of the outgroup, one realizes they are unique and comparable to one"s ingroup. Recategorization: the intergroup context is configured to encourage a breakdown of us versus.
