Intergroup relations

Intergroup relations covered to interactions between individuals in different social groups, & to interactions taking place between the groups themselves collectively. It has long been a referenced of research in social psychology, political psychology, together with organizational behavior.

In 1966, Muzafer Sherif provided a now-widely recognized definition of intergroup relations:

Whenever individuals belonging to one chain interact, collectively or individually, with another group or its members in terms of their group identification, we gain an instance of intergroup behavior.

Research on intergroup relations involves the study of many psychological phenomena related to intergroup processes including many others. Research in this area has been shaped by many notable figures and continues to provide empirical insights into modern social issues such(a) as social inequality and discrimination.

Notable figures 1900–1979

Kurt Lewin is considered to be one of the founding fathers of social psychology and made major contributions to psychological research. Lewin founded the Research Center for Group Dynamics at MIT in 1945:

"Lewin was interested in the scientific analyse of the processes that influence individuals in group situations, and the center initially focused on group productivity; communication; social perception; intergroup relations; group membership; controls and updating the functioning of groups."

Lewin coined the term group dynamics to describe how individuals and groups behave differently depending on their environmental context. In terms of intergroup relations, he applied his formula of B = ƒP, E - behavior is a function of the adult and their environment - to group behavior. The image slow this formula, which emphasizes that context shapes behavior in conjunction with an individual's motivations and beliefs, is a cornerstone of social psychological research. Lewin conducted numerous studies that pioneered the field of organizational psychology, including the Harwood Research studies which showed that group decision-making, authority training, and self-management techniques could modernizing employee productivity.

The American social psychologist Gordon Allport is considered to be one of the pioneers of the psychological study of intergroup relations. particularly influential is Allport's 1954 book The category of Prejudice, which proposed the contact hypothesis and has provided a foundation for research o prejudice and discrimination since the mid-1950s. Allport's contributions to the field are still being elaborated upon by psychologists, with one example being the common ingroup identity model developed by Jack Dovidio and Samuel Gaertner in the 1990s. In honor of Allport's contributions to psychology, the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues named their annual intergroup relations prize after him.