Intergroup bias, although it unfairly benefits some, has negative personal and social consequences for all citizens. The consequences of racism, for example, include more than the unrealized potential of members of minority groups and the failure to capitalize on diversity. Direct costs to majority as well as to minority groups involve the loss of human and financial resources as the result of unemployment, poverty, crime, drugs, ill-health, and personal, social and family dysfunction (see Crain & Weisman, 1972; Bowser & Hunt, 1981; Jones, 1986; McLoyd, 1990). The proposed research develops and examines the Common Ingroup Identity Model for reducing intergroup bias and conflict. This model focuses on mediating cognitive processes and asserts that (1) more harmonious, intergroup interactions can be facilitated by factors that transform members' cognitive representations of the memberships from two groups to one group; (2) favorable generalization to outgroup members not specifically involved in the contact situation will be maximized when the salience of the initial group identities are maintained, but within the context of a common ingroup identity. Thus the proposed research examines how the recognition of diversity could lead to reduced bias when groups differ in important and enduring ways. The proposal derives a set of testable hypotheses and proposes a series of ten studies that together address several portions of the overarching theoretical framework. Some studies consider factors that are proposed to induce a common ingroup identity (e.g, elements of intergroup cooperation, equal status between groups, positive mood and linguistic factors). Additional studies examine proposed consequences of a common ingroup identity (e.g., cooperation, self-disclosure and altruism). Finally, two studies apply principles derived from the model to reducing interracial bias.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01MH048721-01
Application #
3388236
Study Section
Mental Health Behavioral Sciences Research Review Committee (BSR)
Project Start
1992-09-30
Project End
1996-08-31
Budget Start
1992-09-30
Budget End
1993-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Delaware
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
059007500
City
Newark
State
DE
Country
United States
Zip Code
19716
Dovidio, John F; Kawakami, Kerry; Gaertner, Samuel L (2002) Implicit and explicit prejudice and interracial interaction. J Pers Soc Psychol 82:62-8
Kawakami, K; Dovidio, J F; Moll, J et al. (2000) Just say no (to stereotyping): effects of training in the negation of stereotypic associations on stereotype activation. J Pers Soc Psychol 78:871-88