lecture 1: INTERGROUP RELATIONS

Question 1

What do intergroup relations look like in psychology?

Answer 1

Intergroup relations is the scientific study of how our thoughts, feelings and behaviour are influenced by the groups we belong to and how people from different groups relate to one another.
- we try to answer the questions…
- when, why and how do people think, feel and act as group members(“us”)? And when, why and how o we see them and interact with others as group members (“them”)?
- thus, intergroup relations are psychological.

Question 2

What are individual identity and collective identity?

Answer 2

Individual identity: how we define ourselves on our own
- our individual behaviour
collective identity: how we define ourselves in groups, as group members
- our behaviour in groups: if someone is on another team, even if we like them, we must go against them. (attitudes and behaviour changes)

Question 3

How do we behave as group members in comparison to as individuals?

Answer 3

Individual behaviour–> group/ collective behaviour
- intergroup relations do not involve large groups.
- some interactions that appear interpersonal can actually be very intergroup.
- not all interactions between members of different groups are intergroup interactions
- interactions between members of large and important social groups can be preliminary interpersonal
- interpersonal can change to intergroup by just one sentence.
- two friends study for a math test, and the Asian friend (stereotyped as good at math) corrects the white blonde friend.
- the Asian friend becomes the smarter one (teaches the other).