Reducing Intergroup Conflict Lecturer: Introduction Group conflict involves disagreement between persons, parties or a group ofpeople whereby, each group has different opinions and interest from each other (González, 2009). Additionally, the parties involved into a disagreement perceive some level of threat imposed from the other group members (González, 2009). There are various causes of group conflict among the causes include; lack of adequate resources, perceived inequalities in terms of how each group is treated (González, 2009).
Therefore, this study focuses towards providing a sharp insight on the strategies that may be adopted to reduce group conflicts. Strategies to reduce intergroup conflict According to Hewstone, Rubin & Willis, 2002 group conflict may be reduced via application of both individual and intergroup approaches. The application of individual approaches may involve challenging some level of prejudice that may be available among young children and adolescences. Direct approach may further involve employing both direct and indirect strategies whereby, young people may be assisted to understand the impact of their prejudice towards others.
Under this approach, some motivation may be employed among young and adolescents to reduce their prejudice and biasness towards other people (Hewstone, Rubin & Willis, 2002).On the other hand, indirect approach may involve employing the principle of dissonance that may help to control and reduce some biased attitudes among the members of different groups (Hewstone, Rubin & Willis, 2002).In above connection, Adolescence and young children may be taught to classify different individuals into several groups with respect on how they feel about them (Hewstone, Rubin & Willis, 2002).
This strategy may help to detect the presence of prejudice among young children (Hewstone, Rubin & Willis, 2002). Additionally, the strategy of intergroup contact may be established. This strategy aims at enhancing group contraction as well as sharing of ideas among group members (Hewstone, Rubin & Willis, 2002). In above connection, recategorization and decategorization may also be employed to reduce group conflicts. Decategorization strategy aims at reducing personal biasness that may lead to intergroup conflict while recategorization aims at reducing conflict among the former group members (Hewstone, Rubin & Willis, 2002).
Therefore, as a counselor in a detention center for delinquent adolescent boys I may reduce intergroup conflict by employing the above strategies as well as making the boys to interacting and share ideas as well as creating cohesion by identifying all the areas of conflict among them (Hewstone, Rubin & Willis, 2002). Concepts that lead to the intergroup conflict, such as stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination In above connection, stereotypes prejudice, and discrimination may lead to intergroup conflict.
Whereby, stereotype may make some group members to dislike and discriminate members of different groups as they feel an attitude of dislike (Bar-Tal & Teichman, 2004). Connectively, prejudice may accelerate intergroup conflict because members of different groups tend discriminate those members who do not belong to their group (Bar-Tal & Teichman, 2004) This discrimination may be attributed to perceived inequality whereby, some groups perceives that other groups members have fewer resources as compared to other groups.
In above connection, discrimination may lead to intergroup conflict, whereby unequal treatment among different groups may cause conflict (Bar-Tal & Teichman, 2004).Additional concepts that could be applied in helping a person overcome these negative attitudes and behaviors. To overcome prejudice, stereotype and discrimination, some measures should be put in place, among the measures include; establishing intergroup corperation.This may help to provide different members with an opportunity where members of different groups may interact with each other (Whitley & Kite, 2010).
Additionally, resources should be treated equally among different groups. Connectively, work groups should be established to promote integration among different groups (Whitley & Kite, 2010). Activities that can be put in place to help the boys overcome this conflict and learn to work together, Similar group goals should be established among the boys from different groups. Additionally, friendly games should be established where the boys can interact and overcome conflict. Each group of boys should be given equal opportunity to participate in carrying out duties (Ollendick & Schroeder, 2003).
ReferencesBar-Tal, D., & Teichman, Y. (2004). Stereotypes and prejudice in conflict: Representation of Arabs in Israeli Jewish society. New York: Cambridge University Press.Bercovitch, J., & Jackson, R. (2009). Conflict resolution in the twenty-first century: Principles, methods, and approaches. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.González, J. M. (2009). Conflicts, disputes, and tensions between identity groups: What modern school leaders should know? Charlotte, NC: IAP/Information Age Pub.
Hewstone, M., Rubin, M., & Willis, H. (2002). Intergroup bias. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 575-604.Retrieved :< http://www1.psych.purdue.edu/~willia55/392F-%2706/HewstoneRubinWillis.pdf>on 25th March 2013.Whitley, B. E., & Kite, M. E. (2010). The psychology of prejudice and discrimination. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.Ollendick, T. H., & Schroeder, C. S. (2003). Encyclopedia of clinical child and pediatric psychology. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
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