Gateway Groups and Intergroup Relations

Yale University, New Haven CT

Investigators

Abstract

Globalization and unprecedented shifts in the ethnic and racial make-up of countries and communities have produced a massive growth in the range of people with whom we interact. These changes have led to a new and more complex social landscape. It has increased encounters with people who have multiple social identities, including different combinations of racial, ethnic, or national identities. Although people are often threatened by difference, this project considers how such differences may help to create positive social change and greater harmony among members of various social groups. The research focuses on the unique role of people who are recognized as having multiple identities that represent groups traditionally regarded as fundamentally different. Examples include American biracial individuals who share their identity with both Blacks and Whites in the U.S., or Arab citizens of Israel who share their identity with both Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. This unique form of social identity places members of these groups in-between social categories that are typically seen in oppositional ways, allowing these individuals to potentially act as a social gateway to promote positive exchanges between the groups. These kinds of groups are therefore termed "Gateway Groups". The broad objective of this project is to investigate the potential role that such Gateway Groups might play in positively transforming intergroup relations. It provides a novel framework that captures the modern complexity of social boundaries and social identity. Several studies explore the mechanisms and boundary conditions necessary to realize the potential of Gateway Groups in a wide range of social contexts including groups in long-term conflict. The research specifically applies psychological interventions developed in laboratory-based research to reduce intergroup tension and conflict and to promote reconciliation in contexts of immediate social relevance. Five experiments focus on identifying the processes underlying the influence of Gateway Groups and the conditions under which they are more or less effective. The insights from those experiments are then tested in three other studies to assess the potential of Gateway Groups to improve intergroup relations in naturalistic settings. Theoretically, this approach moves beyond the common binary view of "us" versus "them" to offer a broader and more accurate model of intergroup dynamics. Practically, the research aims to develop interventions that can be applied generally to reduce intergroup conflict and promote more harmonious and productive relations between groups. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.