ABSTRACT

The social psychology of intergroup relations has emerged largely from studies of how one group of people (e.g., whites) think and feel about another (e.g., blacks). By reducing the social world to binary categories, this approach has provided an effective and efficient methodological framework. However, it has also obscured important features of social relations in historically divided societies. This paper highlights the importance of investigating intergroup relationships involving more than two groups and of exploring not only their psychological but also their political significance. Exemplifying this argument, we discuss the conditions under which members of disadvantaged groups either dissolve into internecine competition or unite to challenge the status quo, highlighting the role of complex forms of social comparison, identification, contact, and third-party support for collective action. Binary conceptualizations of intergroup relations, we conclude, are the product of specific sociohistorical practices rather than a natural starting point for psychological research.

摘要

群体间关系的社会心理学主要来自对一组人（例如，白人）如何思考和感受另一组人（例如，黑人）的研究。通过将社会世界简化为二元类别，此方法提供了有效的方法框架。但是，它也掩盖了在历史上分裂的社会中社会关系的重要特征。本文强调了调查涉及两个以上团体的团体间关系以及探索其心理和政治意义的重要性。为了举例说明这一论点，我们讨论了处于不利地位的群体成员融入内部竞争或团结起来挑战现状的条件，强调了社会比较，认同，联系以及第三方对集体行动的支持。我们得出结论，群体间关系的二元概念化是特定的社会历史实践的产物，而不是心理学研究的自然起点。