Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
ASP M5: Social Categorization & Intergroup Relations - Coggle Diagram
ASP M5: Social Categorization & Intergroup Relations
Types and Resolution of Social Conflict
Ways to Resolve Conflicts
Collaborative Problem Solving:
Groups work together to address shared problems.
turning conflict to opportunity
Education and Training:
Teach people how to manage conflicts.
conflict management skills can help
Arbitration:
A formal process where an authority makes a decision.
Mediation:
A neutral person helps resolve the conflict.
Negotiation:
Talking directly to find a solution that works for everyone.
neigbours having talk about property
Scenario: Two departments within a tech company, Marketing and Engineering, are in conflict. Marketing wants to launch new features quickly to gain a competitive edge, while Engineering prioritizes thorough testing and robust code, leading to delays. This conflict stems from different goals, work styles, and perceptions of priorities.
Negotiation: Representatives from both departments meet to directly discuss their concerns and needs. They might negotiate a compromise where some features are launched sooner with a limited rollout while others undergo more extensive testing.
Mediation: If negotiation stalls, a neutral third party, such as a senior manager from another department or an external mediator, can help facilitate communication and guide the teams towards a mutually agreeable solution.
Arbitration: As a last resort, if the conflict significantly impacts company performance and the teams cannot resolve it independently, a senior executive could act as an arbitrator, making a binding decision on feature release timelines and testing protocols.
Education and Training: The company could invest in training programs that help both departments better understand each other's work processes, constraints, and priorities. This could include workshops on agile development for Marketing and sessions on marketing fundamentals for Engineering, fostering empathy and reducing misunderstandings.
Collaborative Problem Solving: A joint task force, with members from both Marketing and Engineering, could be created to proactively address potential conflicts before they escalate. This task force could establish shared goals, develop integrated project plans, and create communication channels for ongoing feedback and issue resolution.
Outcome: By applying a combination of these resolution strategies, the Marketing and Engineering teams can move towards a more collaborative and productive working relationship. This can lead to improved communication, more efficient product development, and a healthier overall work environmen
Types of Social Conflict:
Institutional:
Conflicts caused by systemic inequalities.
Scenario:
Students at a university protest against a policy they believe to be discriminatory. Through organized demonstrations and dialogue with the administration, they advocate for policy changes to address the issue of inequality.
Intragroup:
Conflicts within the same group.
Scenario:
Members of a student club disagree on the direction of their next project. They hold a meeting to openly discuss their ideas and concerns, eventually voting on a plan that incorporates elements from different perspectives.
Intergroup:
Tensions between different social, ethnic, or cultural groups.
Scenario:
Two community groups clash over the use of a public park, each wanting to use the space for different activities. They reach a compromise by scheduling specific times for each group to use the park, ensuring fair access for both.
Interpersonal:
Conflicts between people due to personal differences.
Scenario:
Two roommates argue over household chores, each feeling that the other is not contributing equally. They resolve the conflict by creating a chore chart and agreeing on a fair division of responsibilities.
Theories Explaining Intergroup Relations
Social Identity Theory (SIT)
Main Idea:
People get their identity and self-esteem from the groups they belong to.
Implications:
Explains discrimination and why people are loyal to their groups.
Comparison:
Comparing groups to feel good about our own group, often leading to favoring our group and being biased against other groups.
Identification:
Belonging to a group and following its rules.
Categorization:
Putting ourselves and others into groups.
Scenario:
A group of friends who are fans of a particular sports team constantly compare their team to rival teams. They view their own team as superior and put down fans of other teams, even resorting to insults and mockery. This behavior boosts their self-esteem and reinforces their identity as fans of the "best" team.
Proposed By:
Henri Tajfel and John Turner (1979)
Realistic Conflict Theory (RCT)
Main Idea:
Conflict between groups happens when they compete for limited things like jobs, land, or power.
Applications:
Helps us understand conflicts at work, in communities, and between nations.
Consequences:
Prejudice, stereotypes, hostility.
Group Goals:
Groups have goals that clash.
Scarcity:
Not enough resources for both groups.
Scenario:
Two departments in a company are competing for a limited budget for new projects. Each department believes they deserve the funding and see the other department's success as a threat to their own. This leads to tension, negative stereotypes about the other department, and even attempts to sabotage each other's work.
Proposed By:
Muzafer Sherif (1961)
Social Conflict Theory
Main Idea:
Conflicts in society happen because of power imbalances and inequality between groups.
Transformation:
Social change happens by resolving these conflicts.
Struggle:
Less powerful groups fight back for equality and resources.
Oppression:
Powerful groups take advantage of less powerful groups.
Proposed By:
Karl Marx (and developed by others)
Scenario:
In a neighborhood with a history of racial tension, residents of a predominantly white area protest the construction of affordable housing units intended for lower-income families, many of whom are from minority groups. They argue that it will lower property values and increase crime, reflecting underlying prejudices and power imbalances.
Importance and Enhancement of Intergroup Relations
Ways to Improve Social Harmony
Community Programs:
Projects that encourage understanding between cultures.
Policy Interventions:
Laws that promote equality and inclusion.
top-down
Shared Goals:
Encourage activities where groups have to work together.
they start to feel inderpendence
Education:
Teach people about cultural and social diversity.
Intergroup Contact:
Create opportunities for groups to interact meaningfully.
finding common ground
Cross-Group Friendships
Benefits:
Promotes Social Inclusion:
Builds trust and lowers social barriers.
Increases Empathy:
Helps us understand other groups' viewpoints.
Reduces Prejudice:
Breaks down stereotypes through personal experience.
Definition:
Friendships between people from different groups.
Scenario:
Two individuals from different religious backgrounds develop a strong friendship, learning about each other's beliefs and challenging their own preconceived notions about the other's faith. This friendship helps them break down stereotypes and develop greater empathy.
Social Harmony in Intergroup Relations
Components:
Equity and Justice:
Fairness for everyone.
Collaboration:
Working together for shared goals.
Respect for Diversity:
Accepting different cultures, ethnicities, and beliefs.
Definition:
Different groups living together peacefully, with respect and understanding.
Scenario:
A workplace where employees from various cultural backgrounds celebrate each other's holidays and traditions, fostering understanding and respect for each other's differences.
Why Intergroup Relations Matter:
Social Harmony:
Good relations between groups mean peaceful coexistence.
Conflict Resolution:
Understanding how groups interact helps us reduce tension.
Diversity and Growth:
Working together makes society more inclusive and helps it progress.
Policy Implications:
These insights can guide policies to reduce prejudice and promote equality.
Nature and Functions of Intergroup Behaviors
Types of Intergroup Behaviors:
Hostile:
Aggressive or prejudiced actions because someone belongs to a certain group.
Scenario:
A group of teenagers bullies a classmate because of their clothing style, which they perceive as different and therefore worthy of ridicule.
Neutral:
Little interaction or groups don't care about each other.
Scenario:
People passing each other on the street, acknowledging each other with a nod but not engaging in any further interaction.
Cooperative:
Groups working together toward common goals (e.g., community projects).
Scenario:
Neighbors from different backgrounds come together to organize a community garden, sharing their skills and resources to create a shared space for everyone to enjoy.
Competitive:
Happens when groups see each other as threats or rivals (e.g., competition at work).
Scenario:
Students in a class compete for the highest grades, leading some to withhold information or help from classmates to gain an advantage.
Functions of Intergroup Behaviors:
Social Order:
Cooperating makes society more peaceful and stable.
Survival and Resources:
Competing might help us get more resources or be more creative.
Group Cohesion:
Makes our group stronger and more united.
Identity Formation:
Helps us figure out who we are socially.
What Do Intergroup Relations Mean?
Scope:
Includes prejudice, discrimination, cooperation, and harmony between groups.
Focus:
How people see and act toward members of their own group (ingroup) compared to other groups (outgroup).
Definition:
The ways members of different social, ethnic, or cultural groups interact.